Review/ Xerión: "Nocturnal Misantropía"

Xerión is a spanish Celtic black metal band from Galicia (for those who don´t know: North Spain, Atlantic coast, North Portugal…).They are practicing a convincing dark “Galician black metal” as they describe themselves.

Throughout “Nocturnal Misantropia”, Xerión perfectly transport this typical Galician aura. They commemorate the ancient divinities from Galicia´s mythology using keyboards and celtic flute. The music is extremely black, performed in slow- and mid-tempo and comes adorned with great dark melodies and piutchblack riffs.

Texts are based on Galician Mythology and sang in Galician language (a language between Spanish and Portuguese). Xerion make an appeal to the forest´s spirits, asking them for protection; describing this lost heaven and other souvenirs from the past. The infinity of silence is a major theme, making allusion to those nocturnal nights on their home lands. Galicia is well know for being a rough land because of its atlantic winds, sharp mountains, dark forests and its “Rías Gallegas”. Xerión emphasize the feelings of facing this infinite abyss with its freezing and nocturnal nights.
 
In addition to these 7 titles, a video clip depicts Galicia´s rough landscapes. The clip was shoot in black and white, showing old Mythologic gargoyles and monuments. The whole is quit abstract but translate Xerión´s world precisely.

The band was more than happy finding a label like Schwarzdorn Production willing to release and distribute their album and giving them the support they need. It has certainly paid off for both parties: “Nocturnal Misantropia” is a gloomy trip deep into ancient Galicians´mythology.

By Guillaume Dulhoste

Homepage: Xerion
Homepage: Schwarzdorn Production