Review: “All That We Seem” by Moeror

Two years after the release of their well received debut album “The Ghosts Amour Propre” the return of Greek Experimental Atmospheric Black Metal act Moeror is one met with both anticipation and trepidation in equal measure. For as they describe “All That We Seem” as an exploration of their Post-Metal influences as well as blending heavier synths to their sound, it raises the question of just how far Giannis Anagnostou (Guitars, Vocals, Artwork), Kostis Prassas (Guitars, Synths, Vocals, Mixing and Mastering), Nodas Zanos (Bass, Backing Vocals) and session drummer Kevin Paradis have gone down into the black depths…

…taking a page from the Imperial Triumphant book, “Enthralled In Eternal Bliss” is a deep dive into free thinking experimentations that Dr Frankenstein himself would have conducted, seamlessly blending the scorching fury of Black Metal with enthralling moments of intricacy. Flowing like blood from the vein, it draws you in with haunting atmospherics and a raw drum sound that has the feel of a live performance alongside the kind of deathly plague stricken vocals that dissolve precious metal on contact. The album title track “All That We Seem” adds keys that give a real sense of the cinematic, socially the kind of music you can imagine Greg Puciato wanting to create. A gaze into the distance, a look away in fear after eye contact, its bark less painful than its bite and yet still having enough venom to take a life. The cold winds blow through the very heart of this one, the anguished vocals chilling the blood. “Frailty” continues the dull ache of the meandering melodies before the scathing vocals rear their ugly head at the midway point like a beast from the black depths busting unexpectedly through the surface of the ocean beside a small fishing boat on calm waters.

The wonderful sense of meloncholia it offers then gathers pace with “With Eyes Sewn, We Gaze Upon A Starless Sky“, the oxymoron of a title summing up the band perfectly. Like being killed slowly with a dull blade, there are points when you may expect a cold wind to sweep in and bring with it a razor sharp solo to elevate the mood from the beautiful ache but instead the band trudge on, battling the elements of this bleak midwinter before entrusting Paradis to deliver us to evil with an enthralling blast beat passage. The beauty is replaced with something entirely different in “Emptiness Behind The Veil” however, a warped, psychedelic, distorted house of horror that paints pictures of bloodstained Clowns in shattered mirrors to play tricks on on your mind. It’s the kind of cinematic offering that belongs on the soundtrack to the original Ridley Scott 1979 Alien film and sends chills down the spine. It is merely an introduction piece as the writers Kostis Prassas and Giannis Anagnostou bring together the style with that of the bands earlier work for “Woven From Failure“, a nauseating atmospheric Evil that questions the very sanity of the listener over seven long minutes… [7.5/10]

Track Listing

1. Enthralled In Eternal Bliss
2. All That We Seem
3. Frailty
4. With Eyes Sewn, We Gaze Upon A Starless Sky
5. Emptiness Behind The Veil
6. Woven From Failure

“All That We Seem” by Moeror is out 25th November 2022 with pre-orders available over at bandcamp.