Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Black Metal

Breathtakingly Depressing! Kall s/t Review + Stream

I woke up today wondering, what happened to depressive suicidal black metal? So I scoured the internet, only to find teenage cutters playing with Garageband. This made matters worse. Where the hell is that Totalselfhatred album that was coming out this year, I asked myself before taking my Wellbutrin. Then, luckily, before contemplating my end of the year lists, I stumbled upon the new project from the surviving members of Lifelover. To ensure they offer only the finest in desperation, they grabbed the bassist from the Shining. So grab your pills and razor blade, because things are about to get depressing as fuck. I like to think of it as “exposure therapy.”

A hesitant intro launches into the beautiful clanging of “Mycelium veins.” Far from your Pappy Ericson’s blast beat black metal, Kall prefers to let things swell in intensity before bringing it back down for the wallowing. This wallowing comes in the desperate crying typical of the mental breakdowns dsdm singers like to emulate. Here, it’s done with more conviction than the combined tears of all Xasthur imitators haunting their parents basements could muster. Then comes the incredible thirteen minute journey of “Forsok till Forstorelse” or “attempted destruction.” They start at a gloomy rock pace before the medication wears off and they are back to weeping in the sewers of despair. While bathing in bloody tears, Kall brings in a sax – like their therapist recommended – to create a jazz-like delicacy. This some how doesn’t brighten the mood at all. Instead, it becomes the perfect soundtrack to sitting in the rain and contemplating the futility of your existence. Of course, you know a heavy build is going to come, but you might not expect it in the form thundering rock ‘n roll.

a3866450483_10

The ironically-titled “en Ljusare Morgondag,” or  a brighter tomorrow,” finds darkness descend upon it with the raw punch of old Shining. The vocals range from tortured gurgles more characteristic of dbsm to a baritone moan that is not quiet a croon. Even back in the Lifelover days, these guys have always known how to rock out a droning riff. They employ a similar attack here, making them the Velvet Underground of black ‘n roll.  The cleaner Cure-influenced passages are more defined than when they delved into similar things in Lifelover. The grunged-out indie rock feel to “Descending ascension” hangs around until they have another collective low swing that’s allowed a release through a more sonic rock build. This album consistently captures a powerful cathartic emotional pull that is not contrived in it’s self deprecation. The songs on this album have an organic flow, not forcing a single change, which is impressive, considering the dramatic transitions in some of the songs. A good example lies in the delicate interlude that spawns “Varelsen,” or “creature.” This lingers in it’s downtrodden lumber with spoken word vocals narrating the first half of the song, before they stomp into the pound of sludged-out hard rock with sax in tow.

By the time “Far Val” closes out this album, you will have resigned yourself to the fact that this album is going to keep playing for the rest of the day. Or you might be well adjusted enough to enjoy the one listen. Personally, I couldn’t have chosen a better time to listen to this than after waking up from a feverish nap that came with sleeping off a migraine. It served as a surreal introduction back into metal. Sitting at a computer and listening to metal all day with a migraine makes you only want to listen to the new Alcest. “Far Val” takes you out on a similar cloud of shoegazing transcendence. This is pretty much a perfect album and gives me new hope for the future of depressing suicidal music to come…at least from these guys. Now if someone could just get in touch with Totalselfhatred.
 

Written By

Wil spouts his thoughts and theories on metal / goth/ post-punk/ and darker indie rock on blogs like Abysmal Hymns,No Clean Singing, Geekinthings, Treblezine etc... He is very passionate about horror movies, comic books, the occult and Morrissey , though David Bowie will live on in his heart forever

Relapse DF 92123
Sentient 51423

You May Also Like

Avant Garde

If the name didn’t give it away, Cuntroaches are cut from a different cloth. This Berlin-based cadre of sonic terrorists constructs an extremely abrasive...

Black Metal

I wrote the below words in 2011, and over a decade later, this DISGUSTER record is still one of my all-time favorites!!! Revisit it...

Black Metal

#10 FINAL DOSE Void Inside There are no more fickle masters than the corporate capitalist overlords who are scheming every day to keep us...

Features

Today we’re proud to bring you an exclusive full album premiere of the debut album by American dark industrial metal usurpers ASH PRISON to...

Copyright © 2020 CVLT Nation.