Outlaw signs its new album.
Formed in Brazil in 2015, the band led by D. (guitar/vocals, Imperium Infernale, Nahasheol) and now completed by A. (bass, ex-Cursed Rite) and T. (drums, Spell of Torment, Ondfødt), as well as various live session musicians, announces the release of Reaching Beyond Assiah, its third album, through AOP Records.
The album starts with the macabre introduction of Bliss of Soul, followed by aggressive but extremely melodic riffs, where vocals will appear later. The Old School approach to rhythm and vocals allows soaring leads to bring their heady and dissonant touch while remaining anchored in a heavy occult darkness, as does To Burn This World And Dissolve The Flesh which will let motivating sounds invade its raw rhythmic basis. The most vivid parts are gripping, letting the band carry us along in their warlike charge while more haunting elements temper the rage which leads us to Beyond The Realms of God, a quite soothing track at the beginning, but which will easily give way to the storm. Ice-cold melodies also find their place in the suffocating hurricane, flying between wild screams before joining The Unending Night, an as sharp as frantic track which also offers some more majestic orchestrations. The song perfectly represents the musical contrast between fury and soaring melodies, letting the aggressive rhythmic link them while leading us to Everything That Becomes Nothing, the shortest track, which lets the Old School elements lacerate us while remaining extremely catchy. The short break will slow down the virulent march before bringing it back to life, then the sound will darken on The Serpent’s Chant and its piercing riffs, revealing darker influences than on the previous track while still keeping hypnotic melodies. We for example have this mystical break which has a huge contrast with the ambient rage before allowing it express itself again, then Reaching Beyond Assiah, the long eponymous track, will finally come to close the album by flooding us again with its waves of melodious aggressiveness, filled with raw screams which perfectly stick this slightly melancholic atmosphere developed by heady leads.
Outlaw‘s universe brilliantly goes from aggressiveness to quietness, while remaining immersed in darkness and occult sounds. Reaching Beyond Assiah makes us travel with icy and intense melodies by paying tribute to the Swedish scene.
95/100
Few questions to D., leader, guitarist and vocalist for the band Outlaw.
Hello and first of all, thank you very much for your time! Could you please introduce yourself and the band Outlaw without using the usual Metal “labels”?
D. (vocals/guitar): I am D. the band leader. Outlaw plays melodic dark worship music. I think this is the best way to describe our music.
Reaching Beyond Assiah, your new album, is about to come out. How do you feel about it? Do you already have some feedback?
D.: It is always hard to talk about your own music, but the word to describe the feeling is proud. I really enjoy the music that I created. We don’t have many feedbacks yet, but it is very good so far.
How would you sum Reaching Beyond Assiah up in only three words?
D.: Worship, beauty and furor.
How did you deal with the composition process for this album? Did you notice some changes between this record and the beginning of the band?
D.: I created every song in my bed during 2 different winters. Some songs in Italy at the beginning 2021 and some other songs at the end of 2021 in The Netherlands. Of course, the band has changed a lot since the beginning in every aspect possible. The essence is the same, the will is the same and the inspirations too. But I got better musicians and at the same time I became a better musician. So, it was a very natural change, but at the same time radical.
I feel a lot of inspiration from the Swedish Black/Melodic Black Metal scene, which bands could you quote as your inspirations?
D.: Well, that’s true. I am a big fan of Scandinavian metal, but not only by them. I would say that my inspiration goes from ABBA to Dissection. If I have to put limits and say a few names, they would be: Dissection, Watain, ABBA, Dawn, Ofermod, Chaos Invocation, Deathspell Omega and Mgla.
I also noticed some really soaring breaks, like on The Serpent’s Chant, which definitely gives the song a second breath. How do you manage to keep the balance between raw aggressiveness and more airy parts?
D.: That’s natural. I just create stuff that comes to my mind and usually it makes sense.
Maybe you have a favorite song on this album? Or the one you just can’t wait to play on stage?
D.: My favorite song is probably Beyond The Realms of God, but I really want to play Reaching Beyond Assiah, this song is really strong, and one of my favorite songs ever.
Do you already have some plans for the band’s future?
D.: Not really. The only plan is to be on tour as much as we can.
Are there any musicians or bands you would like to collaborate with? Whether it is for one song, an album…
D.: I really would like to work with Mat McNerney (Grave Pleasures), Manuel Gagneux (Zeal & Ardor) and Erik Danielsson (Watain).
With which bands would you love to tour with? I let you create a tour (or just a single show) with Outlaw and three other bands!
D.: That’s a hard question, but if I could choose, it would be Watain, Tribulation and Valkyrja.
That was the last question for me, so thank you very much for your time and your music, last words are yours!
D.: Thanks for the space, and listen to Reaching Beyond Assiah!