Artist: Zhabareth
Label: Self-released
Release: 2009
Rating: 4/5
These days the music scene is flooded with bands of every stripe. Plenty of them try to create something new but don’t quite pull it off, and even more take their inspiration from their idols and so don’t sound all that original. Zhabareth definitely belongs in neither camp. The duo of teacher Andre Orsel and student Kas Kluitman makes music that blends elements of metal and jazz with a touch of ambient atmosphere. At first glance (or listen, rather) you could write them off as some kind of Exivious “ripoff”, but that’s definitely not the case. An even bigger “similarity” factor comes from Stef Broks, a member of Exivious and Textures, who additionally “laid down” the drums. The music is full of dark jazzy vibes with the occasional metal riff, but that’s where the resemblance to similar bands ends. If Exivious’ music is built on the virtuosity of the players (I mean mostly the guitarists’ lightning-fast fingers, the complicated drumming …), Or’ghin is an album that would work even in a club or a bar, because it builds on epic atmosphere. That charged atmosphere the two Dutchmen conjure up is what makes their demo album not just listenable, but almost downright genius.
The EP has four tracks that won’t leave you cold. Already after “Zhabareth”, the title track, it’s clear the two Dutchmen are no flash in the pan. The opening, as it should be, you could say, creates a world of dark jazzers wandering gloomy landscapes of metal riffs. A short guitar solo still hints that Ander and Kas don’t just have a good ear, but also solid command of a range of instruments.
The title track is followed by “V’sion”, which is already a bit more dynamic and heavier. Even though it’s steeped in distorted guitar and heavy rhythms, the show is still run by the keyboards, which are once again the heart of the composition. The metal inspiration later morphs into a swing rhythm with jazzy guitar licks, while the keys crank up an ever more ominous mood.
When Zhabareth’s music drifts a bit away from its initial ambient foundations, the third track, “Echonh”, is the one that brings that mood back. Slower rhythms with very sparse and kind of free-flowing drumming throw us into the ecstasy of timelessness. So if the genre label “ambient jazz-metal” exists, then the Dutch band can definitely stick it on themselves.
The last track is, in my opinion, the peak of this demo. It’s opened by Andre Orsel with an incredibly light and sensual classical guitar melody, accompanied by keyboards. Fusion is the guiding principle for the musicians here, and once again it’s not about showing off their chops, but more about feel and an ear for the music. The longest track on the album swings between chaos and order, between jazzy classical guitar passages and distorted metal riffs; it’s completely bipolar. On top of that, Stef Broks gets to show off a bit more with a solo. All of this in the shadow of the sun of Zhabareth’s music, the heart of this mystically sounding band, the leader among all the instruments – Orsel’s keyboards.
The fact that a drummer of Stef Broks’ caliber joined the project is already telling enough that this is a band with exceptional potential. After the EP came out, it was praised by all sorts of well-known musicians, among them Tymon (Exivious, Cynic) and Matt Medeiros (Kalopsia, Funebrarum) – there was no shortage of kind words.
Maybe Zhabareth’s music wavers a bit, not just between genres but also between the paths to take and what the ideas should be built on. The duo is still finding itself somewhat, but you can’t deny that the quality and the drive are there; following this band’s development is a must. The future looks exceptionally bright for Zhabareth.
Lineup
Andre Orsel – keyboards, lead guitar
Kas Kluitman – bass guitar, rhythm guitar
Guest musicians:
Stef Broks – drums
Production
Andre Orsel and Kas Kluitman
Tracklist
1. Zhabareth
2. V’sion
3. Echonh
4. Or’ghin
