Hollow Fangs

This is a self-release from this California band, who plays somewhat melodic, riff-oriented Black Metal with a good amount of post-something in the sound. There is a bright, open sound to the riffs and the key tonalities which reminds me a good bit of Woods of Ypres, along with some Cascadian elements and some feel from more woodsy, atmospheric bands. In all it's a pretty distinct sound that is hard to make comparisons to, and that's always good. That said, it's not captivating, and I feel like the songs are more repetitive than they should be for their modest length, and that once a song gets going, it never really changes up or does anything else. So by the end, the album as a whole feels pretty one-dimensional, and lacks staying power.