Release date: 07.08.2024
After Divine Right and Upon Mighthy Planes of Ash, we were really looking forward to the full album from Marrow Of Man. His latest album, Ancient Hymns of Apocalypse, got released on all streaming platforms on the 7th of September, so now we can finally share our thoughts with you guys. Marrow of Man is awesome! Find out why!
Marrow of Man
With over 1200 monthly listeners, Marrow Of Man is becoming quite a name in the Black metal scene. As many black metal projects, not just in the Netherlands, Marrow Of Man is a one-man project. His origins lie in Amsterdam, and originally he started out under a different name. With Forlorn Hope, two EP’s got released, ‘Humanitas Vincuntur’ and ‘A Debt Paid in Blood’. After gaining some attention with these EP’s, Marrow of Man decided on a name change and started working towards an album. Ancient Hyms of Apocalypse saw the light on the 7th of September 2024, and will probably continue to gain followers for Marrow Of Man.
Ancient Hymns of Apocalypse
Ancient Hymns of Apocalypse consists of 9 tracks of mostly quiet melodic black metal. Marrow Of Man is really good at writing catchy, interesting hooks. There are plenty of memorable guitar riffs on AHOA. It’s fast, well written, and actually produced a lot better than his previous EP’s. My previous comments on Marrow Of Man were that there was so much happening music-wise, that it was a bit hard to hear all the individual instruments well. And while AHOA is still layered with multiple layers of guitars, vocals, and orchestrations, the balance is a lot better. The wall of sound is still there, but it feels a bit more restrained, and deliberate.
The album starts with the ominous sounds of Blazing Trumpets of Cessation. After a short intro, all hell breaks loose (literally) and we dive into the dark melodies Marrow Of Man has in store for us. If this is the first track you’ll hear from Marrow Of Man you can’t help but feel inspired – everything is just right. From interesting guitar riffs, solos, well-pronounced grunts, even a breakdown fits the mix. The transitions in the track feel well thought out, and give the track more than enough variation.
He Who Rides the Pale Horse incorporates nasty grunts (in a good way) and a sample of Death riding in on his horse. This track might well be a favorite for some. It definitely reminds me of Batushka, Darkthrone, Dimmu, or maybe even Satyricon. Marrow Of Man mixes in some thrash metal tunes in some of the tracks as well, as is heard on Divine Right. Some of the tracks have more of a folk-metal feel to it, but the strong riffs and blast beats are a staple for every track.
Ancient Hyms of Apocalypse tells a story, and while the previously released tracks Divine Right and Upon Mighty Planes of Ash stand well enough on their own, they fit better in this complete album. There is a build-up to the album, which comes to a peak with Upon Mighty Planes of Ash. Even after hearing this track over twenty times since the release, it’s still one of of my favorites of this album. That’s probably because of the high-energy chaos Marrow of Man brings, and again, a very catchy chorus. However, after hearing the album, I have a new favorite.
Beyond The Frozen Meadows starts of more mid-tempo than Upon Mighty Planes of Ash, but man, the chorus on this track. I love that melody. Melancholic, super catchy, beautiful. And to me, this definitely has some folk inspiration to it. If you just listen to one part of the song, skip to the middle and listen to the break. It’s awesome. And when the emotional chorus kicks in again, it hits even harder. Feeling all the feels. This is the turning point in the album. Everything up to this track has been fast-paced and high energy, darker, almost. From this track on, we start working towards the conclusion of the album with Ancient Hymns of Apocalypse.
We even get a black metal ballad with At The End of Everything. Speaking of emotional tracks; this sure is one. All those emotions come to a peak again in Immeasurable Emptiness (we didn’t say it was a happy album). However, I have to correct Marrow Of Man on this track. In the lyrics, he says ‘I finally know my insignificance, I am nothing’. Well, writing an album like this, that statement simply is not true. We know there is a lot of talent in the Netherlands, but producing an album like this on your own, man, do you have to be skilled for that.
Ancient Hymns of Apocalypse is the final track to the album, and a summary of all we’ve heard before. We have quiet a long intro, catchy riffs, nasty grunts, and with almost 9 minutes in length, even some progressive riffs (and yeah, bass riffs!). There are some Opeth riffs in here for sure, and we are all for it. Marrow of Man leaves us with a quote to think about. What happens after death? No one truely know until they die.
Final Thoughts
Having listened to the album about a dozen times, it’s really hard to pick a favorite track on this album. Honestly, there are multiple tracks that I would recommend. Beyond The Frozen Meadows is definitely one of them, but I also have to give a special mention to At The End of Everything, because it’s just a beautiful black metal ballad. If you only have time for one track, I think I’d have to recommend the title track to the album, Ancient Hymns Of Apocalypse, just because there’s so much to that song that makes it a good summary of the rest of the album. Ancient Hymns of Apocalypse is really an album to be proud of, and I’m pretty sure I will be spinning this record for quiet some time in my personal playlist.
You can find out more about Marrow Of Man on Bandcamp.
Tracklisting
Blazing Trumpets of Cessation
He Who Rides The Pale Horse
Diving Right
Marrow Of Man
Upon Mighty Planes of Ash
Beyond The Frozen Meadows
At The End Of Everything
Immeasurable Emptiness
Ancient Hymns Of Apocalypse
