Okketaehm – “Stones”

Okketaehm is a US duo who quite frankly have next to no band info available. A search of the internet finds no biographical data, while the brief bio I got from their label doesn’t offer much either. According to what I did receive, the duo are extremely reclusive, which is understating it in the extreme. These days it is generally easy to find out almost anything about anyone with a quick Google search. These guys however, have somehow managed to make it impossible.

According to their entry on Metal Archives, Stones is the second release by the band, their last being 2010’s Maggots. As I haven’t heard their prior release I can’t comment on whether or not the band’s sound has improved or change in the two years since. What I can say; however, is that this is some damn strange and creepy stuff. Clocking in at 18 minutes and containing only one song, the album is not your typical black metal release. It starts off with some nasty-sounding black metal at full blast and while not original, has a very cool, primitive vibe to it. But at around the 2:00 minute mark a siren starts to sound and things get weird! Strange sounds fill the speakers and aurally comes across as fog and mist filling the air. After about 6 minutes of these odd sounds the BM starts back up again and the band continue at a much slower pace before bringing it all back again.

The release, while really odd, is also (like all well-played music) intriguing as it really gives a sense of atmosphere, which in this case, can be summed up as dread and fear. While not for everyone, black metal enthusiasts should visit the Contaminated Tones website and get a copy of Stones while they are still available.

Track Listing:

01. Stones

Run Time: 18:01
Release Date: May 15, 2012

Check out a preview of the song: “Stones”