13th Moon – No Captains (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

Sitting somewhere between the more discerning new metal and alternative scene, and a more cinematic gothic soundscape, 13th Moon takes its inspiration from horror movies and mythical tales of monsters and the macabre.

It is full of tension, feeling like any moment the song will burst from its more considered grooves and understated almost story-telling spoken word ways and explode in a frenzy of alt-metal groove and riotous riffs. The fact that it doesn’t elect for this perhaps all too obvious play-off, that it refuses to pander to the listeners’ expectations, is what makes it so great. Instead, it opts to drift and drag, squall and screech, shudder and shock as it ambles perfectly to its ultimate destination.

And if you are wondering where all those eldritch sounds and stygian sonics that the song rides on came from, then you can thank KnightressM1‘s own Emily Palen for the violin virtuosity and strange soundscapes.