The first I knew of LVME was that they had a black and white cover full of classical allusions and a name people liked to make jokes about. It was easy to work out they played black metal from that but even if I hadn’t, I’d have known from the opening notes of Of Sinful Nature. That fits for a band whose promo notes say they’re all about upholding the traditional essence of black metal. However, the anonymous members behind LVME have proclaimed they will be having their cake and eating it for not only are they maintaining tradition, they’re also defying conventions. It’s the sort of promo claim that generally signals too much ambition and not enough execution.
Happily, LVME walk the walk on Of Sinful Nature. Their take on the genre draws broadly from the many traditions within it. The classic tremolo and blastbeat approach is used to release the pressure created by shimmering dissonance and mid-paced ritualistic melodies. There’s a post-metal tinge to the moments of relative peace and death metal inflected riffs when it gets nasty. The songs are busy with small details and sudden tempo changes, which makes for a dense sound that rewards multiple listens. The production hits the sweet spot between raw and clear. You can even hear the bass. The overall effect is too similar to Iceland’s finest to consider it unconventional, but it’s good enough that I won’t quibble too much. I’m particularly impressed with how Of Sinful Nature is at once a muscular, attention-grabbing album and one that’s easy to sit back and get lost into. It could be even more attention grabbing with shorter, more focused songs—four out of the five are over nine minutes. Perhaps that would lose some of the magic created here though.
2024 has been a good year for black metal so far. Any of Ponte del Diavolo, Griffon, or Secrets might find themselves in consideration for my end of year list. As things stand though, LVME are front of the queue. There’s just something powerful and entrancing about the way they flit across black metal styles, something that keeps me coming back again and again. The next time I hear the opening notes of a new LVME album, my expectations will be high indeed.
