Atmospheric Black Metallers FALSE unleashed a new album, while this was a few months ago, I have only just gotten round to listening to it. A big mistake on my part. Out now via Gilead Media.
Dark ambience and bleak guitar atmospherics upon militant drums ride the wave of disdain into soaring musicianship and glistening experimental dissonance. The old school snarling vocals and tasteful synths give that punishing Emperor (or more recently Gardsghastr) feel to the otherwise more melodic and off-kilter Black Metal assaults more akin to Mgla or Sinmara. The convulsive surges of pure instrumental mastery and vicious screams indulges us in rich atmospherics while retaining the primal savagery that Black Metal was built upon, blending the classic sound with a more modern discordancy to give it a refreshing twists that works beautifully in the albums favour. The consistency of this blistering cacophony is never short of magnificence with everything from the Icelandic style melodics to the huge medieval atmospherics and piercingly aggressive blasting onslaughts. This is potentially the most monolithic, nostalgic yet gorgeously original and just overall most satisfying record I have heard this year. It combines all I love from bands like Gardsghastr, Vargrav and such with the twisted skilful approach of Misthyrming and Sinmara as mentioned before, while the ravaging blizzard of cold Norwegian Black Metal’s influence is definitively present within the multi-layered and infinitely captivating musical prowess of the 4-track masterpiece. In the third piece we are given a more depressive approach than the previous two songs but everything still feels full of energy and livelihood with no lack in punch, this bittersweet piece contrasts the rest beautifully and is unfathomably haunting and dreary but in a powerful manner. The mesmerising atmosphere is as far from the blander side of the genre as possible with endless unravelling progressions and disturbing twists that keep you ensnared while an unending sense of awe is generated by the perplexingly stunning musical craftsmanship. One of the decades most impressive and beautifully destructive yet often sombre records, taking Black Metal into new and unexplored territories but with a warm familiarity tinging the experimental discourse of the music. Do not be as foolish as I was in hesitating to listen to this album, it truly is a masterpiece. -9/10
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