You may ask yourself, what with the relatively high quality wave of black metal that Southern Lord has unleashed in recent times, could it be possible that a full-length release from a project featuring members of Draguar, Krieg, Leviathan, Lurker of Chalice, Nachtmystium, and Xasthur would not be absolutely impeccable? Well, it is with great disappointment that I report that, yes, it is entirely possible, and it is in fact reality. Not only is this CD far from an impeccable slab of black metal, it's simply not that great considering the lineup responsible. Apparently what these five individuals have basically done in joining forces, by trying to ensure that the end result doesn't sound too closely aligned with any of their individual outside efforts, is overdo many aspects of what could've been an intense and hateful offering of cold, bleak black metal. But an ineffectively raw recording and painfully over the top vocal effects have severely damaged an at times promising batch of material. Sound-wise I like that you can actually hear the bass pulsing away, and the drums sound livelier than is often the case with this form of black metal. However, I'm not sure if the drums are programmed or not, as they sound fairly mechanical, but certain elements don't feel quite as rigid as drum machines normally do. Regardless, the drums are often too loud and crisp for what their tones offer, and when coupled with overly dominant vocals that are frequently drenched in annoying effects... it just seems like the real meat of some of these songs is getting overshadowed. What's worse is that wrapped up in the inconsistencies of the recordings lies a guitar tone that varies in terms of overall effectiveness - sometimes just right, but commonly too thin or unnaturally distorted in a manner that just doesn't fit (see the fierce speeds in the concise "Hopeless Etheride"). Aside from the fact that the synths are mixed too loud in "Larval Liaise", it's one of the better songs herein, with a consistently pounding midpaced tempo that's true to the roots of the genre, while the vocals are a bit more restrained in terms of reverb and placement in the mix, which makes a huge difference. Similarly, the thicker mix in "As the March of Worms" kills off some of the over top additives of the vocals and holds the drums much deeper in behind the guitars, which are thin, but plumped up by the muddy low-end for a relatively effective end result that unloads some intense melodic undercurrents towards the end. The epic guitar harmonies that fade in to start closer "Beyond Light (Beautiful and Malignant)" signal the one track executed in precisely the manner that this entire album should've been handled: With an effectively balanced mix and a set of cohesive riffs that pummel the listener with grim emotion and dissonant melody in a persistently repetitious midpaced pulse. I seriously question whether or not this song would've been as excellent were it not an instrumental, but whatever the case, it proves that these guys have what it takes to deliver... they just missed the boat with the bulk of this stuff; because the seven-minute "Winter Before" is littered with irritatingly distant tones and noisy synth work that just sounds like a completely watery mishmash where the hi-hat and a few other percussive elements are the centerpieces of the mix; as "Swollen Voices in Silence" bears a sheen of abrasively crispy (read: weak) guitars over top of everything else. And what about the annoying and out of place old school thrash riffs in "Exact Agony, Take Life", which is by far the most truly worthless contribution to the record since the actual riffs simply stink? The cover art's fucking great too, so I was really holding high hopes for this one. The huge band photos inside do nothing for me and waste a lot of space that would've been better served exploring more art such as that on the cover, but what can you do? No lyrics are included either, so I can't offer any insight as to what some of these rather strangely titled songs might explore. Seriously, make a 7" with "Larval Liaise" and "As the March of Worms" on side A, "Beyond Light (Beautiful and Malignant)" on side B, and you're fucking set. Sadly most of the rest this stuff varies from mediocre to major suckfest.
[Southern Lord]
Running time - 44:12, Tracks: 9
[Notable tracks: Larval Liaise, As the March of Worms, Beyond Light (Beautiful and Malignant)]
Southern Lord - http://www.southernlord.com
