Rites Of Fire is the latest EP from Finnish fourpiece Khanus, who play ‘Shamanic Metal Of Death’ and whilst this is not going to be a release that will cater to everyone’s tastes, you can’t deny that the band has crafted a very original sound for themselves, resulting in an EP that stands out from the crowd.
Rites Of Fire may not grab you right away, but the more you listen to it, the more it grows on you. Second track Orgone has a fantastic energy to it, really helping to get the EP moving after the slower-paced and more atmospheric opening track, and the half-bellowed vocals coupled with the nigh-on frenetic instrumentation works really well.
Closing track The Rites Of Sacred Ecstasy is a particularly interesting inclusion. The chanted vocal delivery at the start is haunting and ambient, and then when they move in sync with the drums it really helps to leave an impression on you, especially with the striking repeating guitar line that will no doubt wind up stuck in your head as the song comes to a close.
As a whole, Khanus have created an intriguing and engaging release – the more you listen, the more you get sucked in.
7/10
