Music To Not Read To

Hark! New word from the long-forgotten apostle of music and death! Hear ye, etc. 

It’s been a while, with forces beyond my command – and at times, comprehension – conspiring to keep me from sending you electronic mail. Though truth be told, it’s been mostly a lack of time and inspiration for the written word. 

Also, I’ve been finding solace in photography, both of musicians and other things, which devours time and creative energy as well. But have a look here, here or here for that, should you find yourself interested in such a visual medium.

Anyway, none of that today, so gaze upon these letters and despair – for your humble town idiot has found his will to write once more. All this inspired by a reading kick I’ve been on. And genuinely great writing, to me, is about the most inspiring thing to get me back into the creative habit to begin with, which shows once more how infectious great art can be. 

Being of not-so-sound mind, I prefer to read with music on to drown out both the external and internal noise, but only very specific types of music. Something not too wordy, or at least words that my subconscious can’t make out that well. Something droning, perhaps, slow and moody. Thankfully, or so I thought, four doom and black metal records came out in the last few months that should have made reading much easier.

And yet, I consistently had to interrupt reading sessions because, quite frankly, I found myself being swept up in the music. A better compliment I can hardly make, methinks. To transcend the background against my best intentions – what a lark. 

So, let me just get into it:

Amenra – De Toorn / With Fang and Claw

A bold creative choice of the current torchbearers of doom (metal, mind): harkening back to the spirit of the past (With Fang and Claw) and reaching to the ghost of the future (De Toorn) with a simultaneous release. So then, on the first EP the more sludgy, heavy doom of yore – desperate screams and all in tow. And then, the somewhat lighter to bear second release: more measured in its heavy guitars, more spoken word, but always a climax after a long buildup.

A daring step for an ensemble this long into their artistic journey. Most artists tend to tire of the old material, eager to explore new paths. Amenra not only honors the past, the band builds on it and simultaneously draws a parallel with the newer work. Masterfully done.

Deafheaven – Lonely People With Power

And so the pioneers of blackgaze return to their beloved style once more after an interesting outing in more traditional shoegaze territory with Infinite Granite. Or… Have they really just swung back to where they were?

I’d argue against this assumption, as Lonely People With Power feels like a record from a band that has learned a lot from their stylistic sidestep. While the band has always leaned on many different genres, it’s here that it feels like they have found the way to truly integrate them into one cohesive whole. 

Comparisons could be made to AFI’s Black Sails in the Sunset era, when the band moved beyond their shift from punk into hardcore on Shut Your Mouth…and into its own distinct style. Not that Deafheaven never had its own flavor, but it’s an exciting thing to see a band succeed so completely in find its own voice. 

Ter Ziele – Embodiment of Death

Ah, fresh blood – to a point. While Ter Ziele has graced many a stage already, Embodiment of Death is their first full length release, managing to press five songs into thirty and eight minutes. The band’s deftly created signature sound merges droning guitars with surprisingly catchy riffs – Ter Ziele does not get lost in the sludge, but instead builds on top of it.

Between those elements an ocean forms – to float on, to experience without the power to tame it. The course is plotted, the end point clear, but the ride is its own experience. 

Blossom & Wither – Nevermore

Vocals? In this economy? We can dispense with the vocals, as Blossom & Wither demonstrates handily on their debut LP Nevermore. Genre; post-metal, whatever that means. What stands out to me, however, is the driving force this bands emits. Nevermore presents you the incoming tide, the gale that cannot be denied and pushes you forward. The heaviness is here, like in most doom-alikes, but it comes at you in force, in direction. Let it take you out to sea. 

—— Something akin to an ad break ——

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