Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Velvet Cacoon


Velvet Cacoon - Genevieve
Full Moon Productions, 2004
Genre: Black Metal

1. 1
2. P.S. Nautical
3. Avalon Polo
4. Laudanum
5. Fauna & Flora
6. Genevieve
7. Bete Noir









Velvet Cacoon has actually had a pretty long history, in a sense; this is the latest album in an already lengthy discography (which wound up also being a lie).  Since they have hit the “big time” by releasing an album on Full Moon Productions, rumors have started surfacing all over the place about the band from people who want to learn more about who they are.  For one thing one of their claims to fame in order to get that “cacoon” sound in their music they use some sort of device of their own construction that involves a fish tank.  To be honest I don’t believe this for one second, why would someone go through all that trouble when they can get the same sound out of their guitar just by using a conventional effects processor.  I think it’s just a lot of talk to create intrigue and mystery in the band rather than a legitimate method for recording.  Since they try to pass it off as some special method to get a sound no one else can ever reproduce with their own guitar, so they try to come off as some incredibly creative and innovative band.  While this is a good album, it’s not revolutionary in its approach for guitar tone in the least bit.

Another growing interest for this band is an organization they belong to.  Apparently the faces of the band members can never be seen because they belong to an organization called “E.L.F. (Earth Liberation Front)” which looks like some extreme version of Green Peace.  That’s right people, these guys are nature freaks.  Judging by some of the other pictures I’ve seen of this group they are probably dendripheliacs too, but that is just my personal perception.  I also seriously question their wisdom on some levels because they cannot even spell cocoon properly in their own band name they have it as “cacoon.”  Despite what I say about these nature nuts they did pull a lot of good things together, regardless of the fact I find their interest in Earth a bit loony.  Then again, since they’re lying about their guitar tone… they’re probably lying about all this too.

Now that I have dispensed with all of that I shall get on with talking about the music.  Velvet Cacoon managed to put something into their music that I have felt lacking for a long time now for this country, essence and passion.  Aside from the fact that I think their concepts are silly; they are definitely believers in it because it really shows through in their music.  Just feel the passion throughout the song “Avalon Polo” when you listen to it.  The guitar work is simply mesmerizing and so beautiful at times.  The vocal approach is a bit unconventional because it has mostly a whispering type of feel to it.  Basically none of it is really Black Metal vocally, but the essence is so dark that I would label this somewhere in that genre.  Despite the fact that whispering does not sound very appealing as a vocal approach, Velvet Cacoon has made it work within their music perfectly and a conventional approach vocally might actually diminish some of the feel to the music.  It blends together so nicely on their conceptual basis that it just works.

If you are looking for fast raging music you are not going to get it with this release at all.  This is a slow and methodical approach, but the music is so passionate that you can’t help but be caught up in its feeling.  I would say that anyone that is a fan of the approach Blut Aus Nord took on “The Work Which Transforms God” only in essence will enjoy this, but Blut Aus Nord musically was so much more impressive, to be honest.  Regardless I would highly recommend this one to any Black Metal fan that likes a truly dark essence, for there are few bands that can really achieve this sort of feeling.


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