Album Review: A Place for Ash by Mo’ynoq (Self Released)

The American black metal outfit, Mo’ynoq, return with their sophomore album A Place For Ash due for release independently on the 9th of September.

A Place for Ash follows the bands debut full length, Dreaming in a Dead Language which came out in January 2019 making A Place for Ash most likely a Covid written album. Prior to that, Mo’ynoq had released a debut EP in Bardo in 2017 and their original demo, Anguish and Atonement in 2016. The quartet draw inspiration from the likes of Immortal, Wolves in the Throne Room, MGLA , along with the savage side of reality in their songs.

Mo’ynoq are Logan Holloway on guitar & vocals, Donald Boyd also on guitar & vocals, Devin Janus on bass & vocals and Justin Valletta on drums. A Place for Ash was recorded with Kris Hilbert at Legit Biz and was mastered by Ken Sorceron of Abigail Williams. The excellent album art was provided by Perichaud Pierre of Business For Satan.

A Place for Ash comes with 5 lengthy tracks on it offering up a combination of the most visceral blackened music with a thick, impenetrable atmosphere.

The traditional, visceral and raw sounds of the album opener, Penance with its ripping pace and intense vocals really setting the scene. The riffs and drums pummel you, giving you a sense of anger and anguish that the band were surely trying to and succeeding in portraying. Throes of Ardent Disposition continues on the powerful attack but with way more atmosphere that suffocates you with it’s heavy shroud. The lead guitars are phenomenal and as the carnage settles into more rhythmic sections, you can’t help but be impressed and get your head moving.

There is almost a post, or black gaze feel to the songs at times with the incessant darkness occasionally giving way to an uplifting melody or catchy rhythm. The multi layered and toned vocals add so much to the songs – doubling down on the aggression and power.

Effigies Adorned in Fire continues to impress with the vocal power and layered deathly growls really making their mark. The lead guitars keep you just on  the edge of sanity’s cliff despite the distorted and bassy riffs and drums doing their best to push you over. Again those little slips from barely organised chaos to sudden rhythmic groove are mesmerising never mind the addition of a perfectly placed and executed solo that just takes everything up a level with it’s sheer quality. This is a damn good song, my favourite on A Place for Ash so far.

Synchromysticism continues the top quality black metal with an 8 minute long assault of intense drumming and punchy riffs that really do swallow you up within the thick atmosphere created. The bassy, distorted soundscape is intense with deathly vocals hammering home the message. A chaotic ending gives images of a chaotic and busy mind, struggling to make sense of the world around it. It’s heavy, seriously heavy but also remarkably poignant. And that leads us to the final track on A Place for Ash. A near 12 minute long mammoth track titled The Beast that Mourned at the Heart of the Mountain.

What a joruney this final track is too, never once feeling too long or too much. It just works. From the growing, desolate melody at the start we explode into torment and terror with pummelling drums and speed riffs. The lead guitars still touch gently on a bit of melody and the vocals are destructive and bone shuddering in their power. Occasional moments of elevated melody and a slightly slower rhythmic section just adds more contrast for when it all erupts again. A huge solo takes things up to an even higher bar ready for a final explosion of force and fear before the sombre melody plays us out to the close leaving jaws dropped to the floor.

A Place For Ash comes armed with many weapons. Brandishing feral riffs, thunderous drums, lavish melody and powerful vocals and cadaverous imagery, Mo’ynoq unearth the dark realities of depression, despair and loss. Mo’ynoq have really delivered with their carefully crafted compositions that indulge a variety of instrumental and vocal textures. This creates their own uncommon black metal sound that clearly nods respect towards traditional black metal but without fear of delving into atmospheric, post and gaze.

The new record delivers a profound musical journey through the ever-growing shadows of our world. A journey you would be foolish to miss out on.

Preorder a copy of Mo’ynoq’s intensely impressive album, A Place for Ash from Bandcamp by following that link.

Mo’ynoq Links: 

Bandcamp – Facebook – Instagram – Spotify – YouTube