Named after a city in Uzbekistan, the American band Mo’ynoq, together with fellow North Carolinians Urocyon, has just released a furious 4-track split EP. A piece of work that wastes no time — from the very first notes it grabs you by the throat and doesn’t let go until the final echoes fade into a wasteland of destruction.
Mo’ynoq, hailing from North Carolina, delivers a contribution that hits hard and without compromise. Goddamn, these guys can play. Picture lightning-fast, razor-sharp tremolo riffs tearing through the air like a storm front. The drummer sounds like a crazed gunner behind a machine gun, laying down relentless rhythmic fire. And then there are the solos — which I’m usually not a fan of in black metal — but here, they elevate the music rather than detract from it. They’re tasteful, impactful, and placed with intent and emotion.
But what really leaves a mark is the vocalist. His voice is like a wounded wild boar — hit but refusing to fall — carving a path of destruction through each track with breathless intensity. It doesn’t feel like singing; it feels like a primal force erupting in raw vocal aggression.
On the other side of the split we find Urocyon, also from North Carolina, offering a sound of a slightly different breed. Their tone is rawer, the production less polished — which, in this case, plays to their strength. It gives the music something unsettling, something organic that pulls you in closer. Most striking is the use of layered vocals — abrasive, demonic voices that amplify and provoke one another. At times, the sound veers into territory reminiscent of the Greek black metal tradition — think early Rotting Christ or Varathron — but without feeling derivative. There’s a certain mysticism here, a sense of ritual and possession that enriches the listening experience.
The pairing of Mo’ynoq and Urocyon on this split feels like a deliberately crafted collaboration — two voices from the same region, each showing a different facet of what the contemporary American black metal scene has to offer. It’s intense, it’s captivating, and it leaves a lasting impression.
In short, this is not a split EP you casually throw on. This is a piece that demands your attention, that screams to be listened to — preferably in darkness, with nothing around you but the chaos spilling from the speakers.
85/100
Mo’ynoq:
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Urocyon:
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