I sometimes discover bands more than ten years after their creation, just like Lotus of Darkness.
Since 2011 in Thailand, the band has been giving voice to sadness. In 2023, Issara (guitar, Eternally Riverless, Religion Malediction, Shambles), Thinnarat (drums, Savage Deity, Shambles) and Suriyakat (vocals/guitar/lute, Suriyakat, ex-Mourning Ritual) announce the release of Towards the Emerald Empire, their new EP.
With The Power of Stream Guiding into the Darkness, the first track, the band slowly brings us into their mysterious atmosphere that gets darker at every moment, welcoming ghostly screams in the background, as well as some airy notes. The heavy sound will then fade away to let Raging River reveal itself with its Asian Folk influences, followed by a hazy but quite melodious Old School Black Metal, as well as the hoarse screams, mixing softness and raw elements. Dissonant harmonics feed the epic and exotic sounds before letting fury resurface for a few moments, then giving way to a soaring final followed by Drowning in the Dreams, to Be the One with Naga, which lets the ocean bewitch us along with some hypnotic mystical sounds. A bright keyboard slowly leads us to Towards the Emerald Empire, the last composition, which ignites the rage again by letting the abrasive Black Metal roots and visceral screams speak with a rather straightforward approach. The dark melodies will once again mix with dreamy Folk roots to complete this melancholic and intense ritual which will end in softness.
With an unusual but extremely strong identity, Lotus of Darkness depicts an extremely intense singular universe. Although short but very rhythmic, Towards the Emerald Empire makes us want to immerse ourselves in the band’s discography.
95/100
