Swedish duo Murmurs very recently split up; don’t ask me why because I do not know. In 2012 Ulf and Dísa recorded the full length Fædd Úr Eldi (via Australia’s Parkbench Records), but that’s the sole official release, except for a handful of demos. One of those demonstrational recordings, As Walkuth Burns, has now been re-released on CD via Russia’s Nitroatmosphericum Records, a label run by Astarium’s SiN. It comes in an edition limited to 150 copies only. As Walkuth Burns was initially released on tape at the end of May 2011, and from conceptual point of view it is dedicated to Lilith, one of the four goddesses that were meant to become a quadrilogy (with this demo being the first one).
What Murmurs bring (brought) is an extremely grim form of bleak, evil, dark, heavy, nasty and angry Black Metal with a traditional approach. In general this material is played pretty fast, yet with several interchanges in speed and structure. It comes with a production that is razor-sharp, little filthy and uncompromising, but in general the mix isn’t that under-produced at all. On the contrary, getting rid of the background noise, there is a fine equilibrium in between the different instruments, though the result might appear too dingy, I think.
In its totality, As Walkuth Burns does not bother at all. But at the same time there is nothing remarkable either, and seen the current explosion of the scene, it does not suffice. That’s a pity. The intentions are present, the good ideas do not lack either, but the song writing and execution of the better part aren’t but average. But then again, the ritual invocation Rites To Lilit (without -h at the end) is, unexpectedly, a hit beyond imagination.