In January this year I travelled to Copenhagen in Denmark for a long weekend by myself and I knew that a band I had vaguely heard of - Icelandic atmospheric black metal band Auþn - would be playing BETA in Amagerbro on my final night in the city. I wandered over there and got there early, having almost not gone due to feeling ill.
Opening for Auþn were a Danish band called Sunken. I've been to Copenhagen several times but this was the first time for me to experience Danish metal live, and Sunken's brand of black metal is simply spectacular. They filled the room within minutes of coming on and the blackness of the room really leant itself to the incredible sound this band was creating in support of their debut record - Departure.
What really grabs you about this record is the intensity with which it kicks in after the instrumental opener. Track two - Void - is a 9 and a half minute masterpiece of black metal. Beautifully haunting guitar melodies give was to shrieking vocals and just enormous energy as the track seems to build and build forever. Track 3 - the self titled Sunken - begins with the sounds of the sea and again this haunting guitar line that runs so well through the whole record. The intro to the song could easily be from something far proggier, but soon enough kicks in to one of the filthiest, most aggressive tracks you could hope to hear. It's something that sticks for the entire record, and this is one that is definitely worth picking up.
This is a band that are going to go places. Unfortunately their next tour is not bringing them to the UK, however they are heading through France, Germany and Poland, kicking off in Wolfsburg, Germany on the 25th of this month. If you get the chance, please, please do yourself a favour and go and see this band. You will not regret it.
