After a few spins of this lugubrious piece of music, it begs the
question: why reinvent the wheel? Notwithstanding the fact that the
sounds of black/noise are not particularly en vogue nowadays, much of
this release's aesthetic luster has been done before -- especially in
the likes of Belketre, Mutiilation and other denizens of the infamous
Les Légions Noires. But unfortunately where the former succeeded, in
that endearing commingling of noise and distorted melody, this
particular release doesn't quite make the mark. And this remains the
case even if it does -- more than -- successfully borrow a page or two
from Abruptum's latter ambient work in hypnotic soundscapes. The
tattered wall of noise pervading this album, although appealing, is not
quite as precociously depraved as the artist might've wished for in this
particular effort. Mind you, ItNMSotAD is a convincing testament to
its predecessors, since it grips you with its acid-dipped sound and
acerbic negativity, but for any old habitué of the genre this might come
as little more than self-absorbed drollery. Even when juxtaposed
against the sublimely depressive backdrop which has become the calling
card of recent American black metal acts such as Xasthur, Leviathan and
the like, the album falls short in delivering what one should anticipate
in this very much worn post-post-Burzum era in terms of originality.
Coming to think about it, as a general remark, it really becomes
ridiculous when you consider that for a genre notorious for its prolific
recalcitrance back in its early days, it has essentially become the
proverbial example of hackneyed banality in the metal genre in recent
years. Anyway, if your musical proclivities are of a likewise nature,
approach ye faithful; otherwise, well... meh.
Contact: http://nekrasov.cjb.net/
Contact: http://nekrasov.cjb.net/
(originally written for Chronicles of Chaos - 2/12/2007)
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