Bolt Gun – The Tower (Review)

It is no secret that we loved Begotten. It was an astounding mix of Ambient, Black and Post-Metal. Bolt Gun struck a nerve with this dystopian mix and the anticipation was rising as the years went by. After the interim-EP The Warren (featuring Iggor Cavalera on drums), Bolt Gun now erect The Tower in front of the eager but unaware listener.

“The Tower” (the track) serves as a perfect introduction to the album. All the upcoming qualities are present here. Upon the first seconds there is the immediate feeling of dread that won’t let you go until this trip is finished. Followed by blast beats, agonized screaming and abrasive guitars, Bolt Gun don’t take the easy way here. On a major side note it should be said that the album cover by Tomasz Winiarski is fricking beautiful. A monochrome, nihilistic Tower of Babel.

This records consists of five songs, each at least 8 minutes long and the longest clocking in around the 13 minute mark (“The Tower“). Compared to its predecessor Begotten, The Tower feels more coherent. Bolt Gun took the songs I like the most on Begotten (“The Altar of Lies Will Not Be Destroyed” for example) and made a whole album out of it. Every song on The Tower can stand on its own but you need the full album to be fully submerged in its doomy glory.

The Tower feels like a big black snowball made out of burning ashes rolling towards you. Those Ambient passages build this incredible thick atmosphere until vocals and incredibly harsh noise tear through the thick clouds. It is up to the listener what she or he does when they stand in front of The Tower. Will they succumb to its height and scale or will they try to climb it with every ounce of strength they have? Either way, at the end of those 52 minutes the listener and their end of the year list will surely be changed.