Review: The Great Old Ones - Tekeli-Li
[Les Acteurs De l'Ombre Productions; 2014]
Rating: 7.5/10
By Eric Perzanowski
Key Tracks: “Antarctica,” “Behind the Mountains,” “Awakening”
The works of H.P. Lovecraft tend to be popular among lyricists in extreme metal. Referencing Lovecraft’s works has reached a point where some would say it’s a cliché or a gimmick, but Tekeli-Li, the sophomore album from French black metal band The Great Old Ones, is an interesting take on this classic theme.
The Great Old Ones are an atmospheric black metal band from France, and the band’s music deals with Lovecraftian themes. Even the band’s name comes from the literature of Lovecraft.
The album opens with “Je Ne Suis Pas Fou,” an 80-second intro that features an ominous string instrumental and spoken word of what one would have to assume are quotes from "At The Mountains of Madness." While its length and substance may be miniscule in comparison to what the rest of the album has to offer, it sets an eerie tone for what is to follow.
The album transitions to “Antarctica,” which is the main highlight from Tekeli-Li. The song features a crushing main riff, and overall the quality of the song makes it stick out among the others.
The following track “The Elder Things” may be the weakest, but it still isn’t bad overall. Unlike the other songs, “The Elder Things” doesn’t have many moments that stick out and say, “Are you listening to this right now? This is some pretty good stuff.”
Despite only having six tracks (including the minute-and-a-half-long intro), this album spans nearly an hour, and the band put every minute to good use. The songs flow together nicely, and there is a good blend between the fast, harsh black-metal riffing and the slower, atmospheric aspects of the music. While listening, it is always exciting to hear what direction the songs take, and most of the time, it isn’t disappointing.
The album finishes with the 18-minute epic “Behind The Mountains.” While this isn’t the best song on the album, it is a climactic point. It’s as if it were telling a story, much like the album itself does, and this is where it ties up all of the loose ends.
The band has a certain ambience and atmosphere to its sound. While there are many “atmospheric” or “ambient” black metal bands out there, what makes The Great Old Ones a good band of this nature is the fact its atmosphere works with its lyrical themes and encapsulates the idea of “Lovecraftian horror.”
And while the band’s name, the album title and the album theme are all derived from Lovecraft, the homage never comes off as gimmicky. Similar to the German funeral doom metal band Ahab, the band is able to show its love of the literature (In Ahab’s case, “Moby-Dick”) to an extreme level while still making legitimate music.
Overall, Tekeli-Li by The Great Old Ones is an interesting and satisfying take on Lovecraft’s "At The Mountains Of Madness."
