Two years have passed for Lotan.
Since their previous release, Martin Rubini (vocals, Vanir), Philip Kaaber (guitar/bass, Vanir), Andy Dragsberg (guitar), and Jon Elmquist Schmidt (drums) have recruited Lasse Heiberg (guitar, Lastera) to put the finishing touches on Yetzer Hara, their second album, which is being released via Emanzipation Productions.
The album kicks off in the midst of armed conflict with Minenwerfer, followed by an unsettling rhythm where harmonics and screams drive the martial march that unfolds in violence. Although we sense that a few melodies are developing, double kicks and a sustained tempo allow the band to remain anchored in its rage, leading us to Scorched Tyranny after a brief moment of hesitation, immediately resuming the assault. The sound is icy, leaving the vocalist to redouble his efforts to create truly unhealthy waves within the torrents of aggression before moving on to the majestic Omnicide Manifest and its dissonant Old School roots that complete the solid foundation. The leads tend to ignite, but also bring a touch of melancholy mixed with violence before Crown of Rope proves to be both sharp and groovy, almost Black’n’Roll-style, deploying leads to remain haunting. The vocals are truly demonstrative, but above all communicative, and we feel swept away by this hurricane that barely gives us a moment’s respite before encountering Incantation of Hatred’s heavy sound, at first very soft and then finally thicker, but always taking advantage of its slowness to let the vocalist guide our steps towards the inevitable eruptions. A moment of calm ensues, then Heksenat comes into play and viscerally pours out its fury, pinning us to the ground with its demonstrative nature, whether in terms of vocals or scathing riffs, even reconnecting at times with the coldness of its raw influences. Violent End follows, offering us catchy riffs that eventually turn into an ethereal mist before letting Righteous Fury close the album with a final dose of imposing darkness, which knows how to use devastating blasts as well as intoxicating harmonics, as well as an unsettling break in the middle.
Having followed Lotan since their second release, I can see the progress that has been made within the band. The group has always offered a devastating sound, and Yetzer Hara allows them to express themselves at full power.
95/100
