Root is one of those black metal bands who have been around apparently forever and will continue to press on for just as long. Having started just after Bathory these guys have plodded along releasing a few albums a decade and grinding away with hundreds of live shows alongside all your favorite black metal artists. What's shocking though is how far ahead of its time Root always was with their trademark clean vocals, constantly hinting at a sound that would later expanded by bands like Agalloch and Woods Of Ypres. This is a band whose new release Kargeras – Return From Oblivion builds on a previous concept record, but also shows us that there is a lot more pioneering to come from one of black metal's earliest proponents. These guys sound like no one else in the scene today and their strange satanic rituals are strangely entrancing, hinting at brave new worlds to come and showcasing the same potent sonic landscapes that so many of us fell in love with in the first place.
I think what has captivated me about Kargeras – Return From Oblivion is the depth of the compositions. Whereas many of Root's older peers found themselves worshiping dungeon level production and simplistic songs, even late in their careers Root seem much more willing to be tapped into something grander. Though this record is obviously a huge advance on their earlier material, and even their more recent offerings, Root manage to retain those ties to their older stuff. It creates an exciting balance and one that I want to keep digging through. The operatic vocals contrasted with frog like croaks on songs like 'Osculum Infame' only go to show the depth of what Root have done here. In some ways Kargeras – Return From Oblivion almost reminds me of those Christopher Lee record: there is a clear narrative structure and exciting, occasionally flashy musicianship that remains exciting from start to finish. After all – isn't that what black metal is supposed to be about in its purest form? Pure sonic thrall, and this is what Kargeras – Return From Oblivion is able to craft, even right from the get go.
Root have always had a distinct sound and Kargeras – Return From Oblivion showcases that nicely. It continually gives us a look into a band who are pissed off and ferocious A band who blaze forward angrily and hint at stranger, far more evil things to come. Kargeras – Return From Oblivion encourages the listener to take many listens, to pick apart every element of the story and to appreciate the breadth of exciting elements that Root has always profited from. It's easy to get lost in this record, the band uses the selfsame grandiose sound that made far later proponents of the genre so great. You find yourself navigating a sea of music here, lost in the blissful oblivion of a band who will leave you in awe. Don't underestimate Root because of their age, but instead realize that this band could very well be the future as well as the past.
Score: 8/10
