Melechesh – Sentinels Of Shamash (EP)

Melechesh – Sentinels Of Shamash

Release date: April 10th||Genre: Black metal||Label: Reigning Phoenix Music

Amsterdam based Assyrian black metallers, Melchesh are on fire with their new EP, Sentinels of Shamash

It’s been a while since Melechesh shed any new music. In fact, over a decade. The band’s last release was an instrumental selection from The Epigenisis in 2022. However, the last fresh output was 2015’s Enki, a personal all time favourite in the realms of black metal. It is simply one of those records which has been on regular rotation ever since. That full-length saw them step up to a new level of proficiency in songwriting, seldom rivaled.

This new 3 track continues in the same vein, without missing a beat. It’s as if the years between never occurred, or maybe they entered a ten year torpor, now summoned back to life. The serpentine writhing which curled through Tempest Temper Enlil Enraged and Lost Tribes is revisited here. It may sway more metal/prog at times, but each track feels like it was scoured from the same tome. The crafting of the sound, now and before, is naturally rooted in the musicality of the project’s birthplace. Including middle-eastern techniques and theory, as well as instrumentation creates an identifiable musical texture.

It’s slightly surprising to discover – within such a defined sphere – the production involvement of Rob Caggiano. Anthrax and Volbeat are most certainly not connections which would immediately spring to mind. However, core member, Ashmedi, continues carrying the torch into the blood glittering past of half-forgotten Myth. Sinister and embracing, Sentinels of Shamash is undeniably Melchesh, still at its best.

A

Slow Dragon