The talented multi-instrumentalist Yianna Bekris returns with her second full length of her personal project VOUNA. Her debut in 2018 was more synth-oriented but this time the final result is a revolution, a doom revolution!
First of all the name of the project puts you into the mood, vouna means mountains in greek. The majesty of the tall mountains, the unconquered peaks covered with mist. That’s why the first track is impressive, “highest mountain’ is a nine minutes long epic song and yes, it is just one of many great moments you will find along the five compositions of this great album.
The title of the album is “Atropos”. She was the oldest of the three Moirai(Fates) in Greek mythology, the inflexible One. It was she who ended the life of mortals by cutting their threads. The three Moirai were daughters of Night symbolizing past, present and future. I really find the title of the album ideal for this music soundtrack that is based on black, despair and the inevitable of death. On a general note greek black metal scene is highly connected with the greek mythology the same way Norwegian bands focused on their own tradition.
What you hear on the album is top quality doom metal that is blend with atmospheric black metal folk and darkwave. Slow tempo gives the heart beat of the album as the heavy riffing and the old-school keyboard layers create a unique dull atmosphere while the vocals are also quite a fit no matter if they are clean or at times they get into black metal outbursts. The album was recorded at Wolves In The Throne Room’s Owl Lodge in Olympia (both are based in the same town)
Last but not least worth to mention also the special guests on the album: Nathan Weaver(Wolves in the Throne Room), Asia Kindred Moore(Sangre de Muerdago) and Entrail.
