Light are some tricky fellows. First of all, their name is Light. And they packaged their CD entirely in white with lots of folded paper, making the whole thing look quite delicate. You might be thinking you’re in for some ambient drone, right? But then they smear some (supposed) menstrual blood on the disc itself. What kind of drone band does that? I’m not sure but it’s definitely not Light. Because Light makes black metal.

I have a hard time describing A Million Dead Beneath The Ice because I think my brain isn’t synching up with my ears. I hear Light and I hear black metal. Slow moving, buzzing guitars, demon vocals, the whole nine badass yards. But there’s something that’s telling me this isn’t your momma’s black metal. Maybe it’s more like gray metal. Take out the doom organ and the growling hell spawn and you would have some really awesome ambient music. Yeah, it might be kinda scary ambient, but ambient nonetheless. And there’s some Midwestern Americana hiding in there, too. I just know it.

But I keep going back and forth. Do I just think this is gray metal because of the band’s name and the CD packaging? Is this really just some straight up black metal? Or is there something more to Light than the hordes of other BM bands.

I think I’m just going to ignore this slight conundrum in my brain and enjoy A Million Dead for what it is. It’s really some intensely doomish black metal that may be a bit rough on the surface (like all black metal) but is actually quite beautiful. Especially on “When The Flood Waters Come Rushing In” with the mournful guitar that’s right up front, paired with the oh so sad and angry vocals. Whatever sub-genre you decide to throw Light into, know that this is some truly special black metal.

Light

Posted: 02|23|09 at 8:24 pm. Filed under: record reviews.
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