Rune / Goetia

Rune/Goetia is another essential piece of the esoteric occult puzzle that is Spear of Longinus.

On this album, mastermind Camazotz once again presents his chaotic black/thrash sound as the backdrop for an obscure concept, this time exploring Guido von List's Armanen rune system. Similar to Blood Storm who play warlike black/thrash but set themselves apart with a unique lyrical cosmology, such is the case with Spear of Longinus as the idea behind the songs makes the music feel more encompassing than just what you hear on the album. Rune/Goetia may also appeal to those who are curious about exploring concepts of the the occult, mysticism, and esoteric paradigms as there are many interesting stories and ideas in this mythos and Hyperborean legends, Crowleyan magick, and runic mysticism only scratch the surface. It's a subculture that is as relevant to metal as the ever-popular Satanism, fantasy novels, and gore.

Most of the songs on Rune/Goetia range around two minutes with the longest clocking in at three minutes and 34 seconds. This makes the album feel like a larger song split into small parts that are easier to digest than a single track that would run close to 19 minutes. It sounds weird on the first few listens, but similar to an epic-length song the album becomes more familiar as you understand each part's role in the larger picture. "F" could stand for "Feedback" as this album begins with a squealing guitar that ushers forth the song and returns several times over the course of the album. This works in a positive way as it draws your attention to the raw guitar tone that evokes the spirit of Necrovore, but the negative spin is that it further makes this album feel like a rehearsal that features several disjointed riff sets. "U" comes next and doesn't feel like it does much more than serve as an intro for "TH." Upon first listen, the only track that stood out to me was "H" only because the first riff was similar to the first riff of Sodom's "Pretenders to the Throne." In spite of the initial confusion, you can feel the energy in each song even if you don't understand its purpose yet.

Spear of Longinus continues to channel the spirit of ancient thrash with this new release, but in shorter bursts. There isn't much structure to mention as each song consists of two or three riffs played in a row before the next track begins. "R" and "K" each feature only one riff with the changing drum patterns providing the only dynamic to make them feel like songs. Guitars, drums, and vocals dominate the soundscape similar to a band rehearsing in a warehouse or storage unit with a cement floor, concrete walls and not much to act as a buffer. This helps accentuate the inherent chaos of the music and gives the harsh vocals an even rawer sound. Fans already familiar with this band will appreciate this next step in Camazotz' evolution, but those new to the band should begin with the Nazi Occult Metal/Nada Brahma release.

Overall, Rune/Goetia may not be memorable on the first listen or even the next three or four listens, but in time you come to understand the ebb and flow of the music in its entirety instead of being disappointed that each two-minute chapter only moves the album forward instead of providing some closure. Even after becoming accustomed to this, it may still feel incomplete because of the short songs. However, Spear of Longinus is presenting the first eight runes of an 18-rune system so maybe there will be another album to cover the remaining ten and give yet another perspective to the songs on here. Also, and this may be a stretch, but Wikipedia states that Guido von List's Armanen rune system "was allegedly based around the structure of a Hexagonal Crystal. You can shine light through a crystal at different angles and project all 18 of the Armanen runes." If you apply this to the music, and if there is to be another album for the final ten runes, then how would all the songs sound if they're played at once? After borrowing a few CD players, an extra power strip, and making some CDR copies of this album, I managed to play all eight of these tracks simultaneously and it sounds more than a little bizarre. "U" and "N" each use a similar rhythm so I thought at least those two songs would play well over each other. For sure, it's a Rorschach test as to whether you can hear anything significant, but it's still worth trying and proves that this latest concept from Spear of Longinus has massive potential to become something unique in the circles of obscure underground metal.