*This is part of our State Of The Art series, showcasing bands every Monday from the featured state. This month’s state is North Carolina.*
Hailing from Raleigh, North Carolina, Mo’ynoq delivers a blistering form of American black metal whose self-proclaimed influences include Immortal, Nachtmystium, and Wolves in the Throne Room. Their style, which competently pays homage to the greats, embodies a vast, darkened soundscape of gothic proportions and atmospheric tension that envelops its listener like a dense fog. Since their inception in 2016, Mo’ynoq has released a couple of EPs, and in January of this year, their debut full-length album entitled ‘Dreaming in a Dead Language.’
Right from the start, ‘Dreaming in a Dead Language’ makes its intentions known with opening track “Empyreal Decay.” It kicks off with an unsettlingly melodic tremolo-picked riff and ghostly shrieks. As it progresses, melodies descend further into chaos while adding to the track’s overall mood of psychosis. “The Collector” opens with a doomy, depressive intro that sets the stage for an all-out auditory assault of highspeed, icy riffage and monstrous vocals that resonate through the madness.
The rest of the seven-track LP offers an equally punishing experience as the listener is taken through a labyrinth of emotions and moods. Whether a slow paced, atmospheric interlude or balls-out blast beats, ‘Dreaming in a Dead Language’ manages to always keep the intensity level at a 10. Check out the full album and more from Mo’ynoq in the link below, and follow the band’s Facebook page to stay up on current show dates and news.
