Reiklos - Lifeless (Black Metal)

What would happened if you tried playing Phantom's The Epilogue to Sanity with the guitar technique of Burzum's Hvis Lyset Tar Oss, while parts from Vermin's Archangel occasionally creep in to make the music all the more dark and foreboding? You would probably get something not too far removed from Reiklos' debut, the underground classic Lifeless.

Of course, the more black metal-savvy amongst you must have realised that the band's name "Reiklos" comes from a Phantom track. What is, then, to separate Reiklos from the legions of Phanta-clones that aimlessly ape Phantom's debut Divine Necromancy, or any other album in their lengthy discography? Let's start with the fact that Reiklos manages to actually "get" the source material on a deep level, and not just copy its aesthetics for underground "trve" points like so many other derivative bands.

The tracks on Lifeless almost all begin with Burzum-esque lengthy atmospheric riffing, which is repeated for a while, before evolving into pure Phantom metal horror. Just do yourselves a favour and listen to this record, you will be transported to an ethereal dream world while listening to Lifeless. A heavily recommended album for fans of melodic and atmospheric black metal.