Beneath Moonlight by BENEATH MOONLIGHT

The latest transmission from the shadowed circle of Ordo Vampyr Orientis (BAT MAGIC, BAD MANOR, BEASTIAL MAJESTY), pianistic Black Metal mavericks BENEATH MOONLIGHT arrive on DMP in fantastic style with their unhinged self-titled debut EP.

BENEATH MOONLIGHT are possessed of the same madcap reverent irreverence familiar from the previous works of this mysterious sect, and the band dramatically channel the evil spirits, gothic castles and filthy asylums of '90s vampiric Black Metal with a peculiar modern power and edge-of-seat propulsion.

Bolstered by a relentless rhythm section and pared-down but perfectly-judged riffing, the tracks are carried forth by the harrowing vocal ravings of the undead and adorned with addictive, strident piano flurries like so much intermingling of mortal and werewolf DNA.

The EP is the first part of the Henricus Institor saga, so named after the German churchman who in 1487 published a document known as the Malleus Maleficarum – a veritable how-to guide for the inquisitioning and dispatching of accused witches. As witch trials became more commonplace in Europe, Institor rose to a place of immense power in the Catholic Church. As his power grew, not only did his ego grow, but so did his notoriety and infamy in places of magick, to the point where a revenge plot was hatched: kidnap Institor and curse him with lycanthropy so that he would be a beast and unwelcome in the Church.

The record documents Institor delving into black magick in his search for a cure, only to come to the realization that he is more powerful an acolyte of the occult than a servant of the Christian God.