The folks over at Caligari Records don’t have it easy. Our request for an interview with obscure black metal band Amnutseba was quickly turned down by the artist. To top it off, this demo was released without much fanfare. It was uploaded by the label on a weekday without much buildup. Seems like a strange approach given the momentum that Amnutseba’s first demo quickly garnered upon its release in mid-2017.
Perhaps the band and the label are counting on the band’s qualities alone. They are trusting the underground to take notice once again and to give the time of day to this second recording.
And things have changed a bit in Amnutseba. As opposed to the first demo, which was immediate and far faster, this second demo finds the band adopting a much more entrancing mid-tempo. The change in pace makes for a far more involving listen and has turned the music into a nightmarish affair.
The demo is comprised of two tracks, III and VI – numbers that complete the song count of the first demo (I, II, IV and V) – and immediately after it kicks in, many listeners may be reminded of Portal, a band that was mentioned in several reviews of the first demo. I see things differently; as these tracks evolve, they turn inside out and fluctuate in a way that is quite distinctive from that of Portal.
III, for instance, is quite the trip. Its guitars are a vortex at times and a buzzing beehive at others. The vocals loom deep, tormenting the small reminiscence of melody and the band shifts back and forth in tempo. Oblique and unorthodox, the music of Amnutseba doesn’t stick in our minds, but traumatizes nevertheless.
If there is something to differentiate between the first demo and this one, it is the booming presence of bass. The sound is now warmer and more inviting, but not for that more penetrable. The songs are also longer this time around, with each cut topping the seven minute mark.
VI follows suit, shifting tempos and angular riffing, a double bass that haunts and tormented vocals. Towards its center, the track takes an industrial shape – this is where perhaps Amnutseba are heading. At this point the music almost leaves the black metal realm and enters a far more ethereal reality; one where experimentation takes the place of guitar distortion. As it should, the vocals only get more deranged and white noise overcomes us. This must be witnessed.
Given the strategy adopted by the label and the band to promote this recording, it may take longer for people to notice that this second demo is out, but those who notice will be rewarded. They must just pay close attention and witness a band in motion.
