Cormorant – “Metazoa”

It’s well-known fact that the San Francisco Bay Area has a crazy light shining on their thrash scene (Testament, Death Angel, Forbidden, Exodus). That said, light also has its dark areas and creeping out of the shadows are progressive black metallers Cormorant. In 2009 the band released their first full-length, Metazoa, which debuted their second guitarist Matt Solis.

The album is neither fast, nor dirty-sounding like most would expect from a Bay Area band. Instead Cormorant it has 10 tracks of slow and tidied-up black metal with the occasional clean/mellow parts. The songs are lengthy and obscurely structured making them unpredictable and always surprising.

A key component in Metazoa‘s greatness is incredible artwork illustrated by Julie Dillon. There’s a mystical feel encompassing the image of the woman surrounded by water and air. She seems one with nature as both a wolf and moose appear beside her. Much like the music at times, it’s a very calm piece that draws one in. Metazoa comes highly recommended and just might be the start of a new Bay Area movement.

Track Listing:

01. Scavengers Feast
02. Uneasy Lies The Head
03. Salt Of The Earth
04. Blood On The Cornfields
05. Hanging Gardens
06. The Crossing
07. Hole In The Sea
08. The Emigrant’s Wake
09. Sky Burial
10. Voices Of The Mountain

Run Time: 1:09:10
Release Date: September 22, 2009

Check out the song: “Salt Of The Earth”