There must be something in the water that causes bands from the West
Coast to come out with incredible music. Wolves in the Throne Room,
Agalloch, Ludicra, these are all bands that reside in the western United
States that have released albums that made people stand up and take
notice. Ludicra is a band that is gaining some recognition in the
underground scene. They are more than just a black metal band, they are a black
metal band with a purpose; that purpose being creating an atmosphere
that is as unsettling as the music they play. On Fex Urbis, Lex Orbis,
they make it look easy.
From the opening track, the elements that make Ludicra what they are
come to surface. Vocalist Laurie Sue Shanaman can handle the black metal
screams with the best of them and the clean female vocals are equally
haunting. The music is not traditional black metal, which works to
Ludicra's strengths because they use a lot of intricate interludes and even
a punk element on the track Only a Moment. The drumming is pronounced,
which amplifies the unsettling atmosphere quite a bit. Put all of
these elements together and Fex Urbis, Lex Orbis is one solid album. The
artwork is not much to look at, but then again, Ludicra would rather
have the listener create their own interpretations by listening to the
music itself. Clocking in at almost 40 minutes, I felt that the album was
shorter than what I thought it would be, given the rather interesting
subject matter and complex music structures.
While Ludicra remains a relatively unknown band, with a release like
Fex Urbis, Lex Orbis, it will not be long before the band gets some well
deserved recognition. Having already played shows with bands such as
Agalloch and Wolves in the Throne Room, the band certainly has some
company in terms of good, complex music. People may not be able to
categorize Ludicra, but they do not need to be categorized as anything other
than good music that will mess with the mind.
