Najand - Complicated Antithesis (Metal Throne, 2011)

Najand (or Nazhand) is a one man Iranian depressive black metal act. As is typical of the genre, he's prolific, with a couple dozen albums under his belt since 2005, when he was only sixteen. I've been digging this particular album because I enjoy the way the vocals are recorded. Nothing else really stands out. I must admit, I'm intrigued that he is so young, and Iranian. Novelty or not, its is a solid spin.

Leviathan - A Silhouette in Splinters (2005, Profound Lore)

Through me you pass into the city of woe:
Through me you pass into eternal pain:
Through me among the people lost for aye.

Justice the founder of my fabric mov'd:
To rear me was the task of power divine,
Supremest wisdom, and primeval love.

Before me things create were none, save things
Eternal, and eternal I endure.
All hope abandon ye who enter here.

Such characters in colour dim I mark'd
Over a portal's lofty arch inscrib'd:
Whereat I thus: Master, these words import.

--Dante Alighieri "Divine Comedy, 1321

Wrest is one of the most complex and fascinating characters in Black Metal today. Barring all the controversy about his personal life, he remains a prolific and competent artist in multiple realms. He is the force behind not only Leviathan but Lurker of Chalice (my favorite album of 2006) and a contributor to Twilight, Nachtmystium and Sunn O))).

I can't praise this album enough. Whereas Leviathan is typically a project that emulates classic washed out and lo-fi depressive black metal recordings that always sound like demo tapes, you'll find no blastbeats here. This is a purely ambient venture that rivals the likes of early Lustmord. Droning layers of electric guitar slink across our conscious mental processes, navigating dark and untouched hemispheres of repressed memories. Meditative and patient, these environments quietly shriek of malevolence, misanthropy and discontent.

Without resolution, this album eloquently leads us down a road toward hopelessness. Listening to this record is akin to watching the apocalypse unfold before your eyes after ingesting an overdose of sedatives.

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Spektr - Mescalyne (Moribund, 2007)

This entire album is frantically sharp and steeped in hollowed layers of tattered atmosphere. The French black metal duo present the four song ep Mescalyne with full electronic voracity of brightly distorted, melodic guitar hiss and meticulous drumming that often slips into a rhythmic dichotomy, enhancing a sense of depth. I would almost venture to say that this album is seemingly gray rather than black in it's tone. This album is far too taken care of, as an important representation of it's creator's art to be thought of as low-fi or cold recorded. Though it's feeling brings a chill, it doesn't remind me of damp viking crawl spaces, looming heavy moans. Mescalyne is reflective of the Gothic shadows of the ages and the intellectual horrors that emerge from progress, holy faith and validity. Or it sounds like broken glass has been inserted behind your eye sockets while waking up in a wind tunnel, which ever translation you prefer.

--Sean Dail

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Sombres Forets - Quintessence (2006, Sepulchral)

One man Canadian BM band Annatar makes epic depressive odes to mother nature with characteristics of raw black metal and funeral doom. This is nothing too original or fascinating but its clear that he's genuine in his intent and his passion shines through every aspect of the recording. Fans of Xasthur, Abyssic Hate or Burzum may write this off at first listen but a couple tracks in, the misanthropy deepens and the anguished hooks and blood-curdling screams prevail. A particularly distinguishing element is his hypnotic use of keyboards and acoustic guitars which heighten the emotional content and help convey the forest-worshipping themes.

Again, not trying to sell the greatest Suicidal Depressive BM record ever here but its a very solid album that I thoroughly enjoy.

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Moonsorrow - Viides Luku : Havitetty (2007, Spikefarm)

This is the most exciting album I've heard in quite a while. Finnish sextet Moonsorrow has crafted an impressive document of Progressive Black Metal. There are elements here that would appeal to fans of Opeth as well as fans of Drudkh or Wolves in the Throne Room. This is a cross sub-genre recording that never feels contrives or trifling.

"Jaasta Syntynt, Varjojen Virta" is a drawn out 30 minute piece that never loses my attention. Its important to recognize that this is not several short movements fused together but an actual half hour long song. An unbelievable undertaking, incredibly conceived and masterfully executed. Around the sound of a crackling fire, guitars slowly churn, building into a doomscape with death and progressive overtones. This evolves into a heavy Black Metal motif with traditional folk instrumentation. The effect is epically brutal and spiritually torturous.

"Tuleen Ajettu Maa" begins with intensive chanting and quickly bursts into classic heavy blastbeats and tremelo guitar.

The organic flow of the composition and structure here is mindbending. Don't forsake this undeniably great Heathen Black Metal masterpiece.

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Chaos Moon - Languor into Echoes, Beyond (2007, Ars Magna Recordings)

This band is primarily the project of Esoterica. The fact that these guys hail from Nashville, Tennessee surprises the hell out of me. For all I knew this could have been someone in his bedroom in the Eastern Bloc.

The first half of the record is chock full of blast-beats and second wave familiarity that most Black Metal fans will enjoy. However, in the middle of the fourteen minute epic "Simulacrum of Mirrors", things shift in the favor of those who enjoy Atmospheric Black Metal. I'm just implying some similarity. I do not intend to lump this band into the Wolves in the Throne Room category. What I find most interesting about this album is the use of standard blast-beats and the use of ethereal keyboards almost in opposition to each other culminating in its own cohesive sound.

This results in Ambient AND Black Metal, not Ambient Black Metal. Many elements presented here will be familiar to those who enjoyed Leviathan's "Lurker of Chalice" project. Also in contrast is the romantic sound of Chaos Moon. I have no idea what the lyrics are but little of this recording feels suicidal or even self-loathing to me. There is more than a sliver of light seeping through in "The Palterer" and in "Hymn to Iniquity" where there are obvious hints of 4AD and Shoegaze.

If you are open to synthesizers with your Black Metal, I'd be shocked if you didn't enjoy this one.

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Locrian - The Crystal World (2010)

Chicago based duo (now trio) Locrian are the epitome of the current Avant Metal Scene. Devising a brilliant pastiche of Noise, Doom, Drone and Black Metal, the result is a highly intriguing journey.

Based on the 1964 novel by J.G. Ballard about a doctor specializing in the treatment of leprousy, the caustic overtones make for an intense scenario. The compositions feel loose and improvisational and that's a format I'm consistently fond of. This is a nearly stream of consciousness aesthetic that is extremely dismal and chaotic yet pleasant and mature amidst the build-up and deconstruction.

Minimal synthesizer/keyboard drones and sometimes agressive sometimes buried growling vocals lead into quiet tribal drumming and patient guitar swells. The desperate and apocalyptic tension gives way to a crescendo of noisy blackened doom. The e-bowed guitar is reminiscent of Nachtmystium's album "Instinct:Decay" (Blake Judd has actually joined them on a previous outing). The second movement of this double length record is an epic single track of nearly an hour.

After seeking a tasteful merger of Black Metal and Drone for quite a while, I've stumbled upon it here. Experiencing the intensity of this group's live show earlier this year was quite an experience as well. In fact, it was one of the best I've ever had.

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