Svartidauði – The Synthesis of Whore and Beast EP
Rohit Chaoji reviews the new EP from Svartidauði titled The Synthesis of Whore and Beast, released via Terratur Possessions / Daemon Worship Productions.
Artwork by Swedish artist Timo Ketola (Davthvs) and Slovakian artist David Glomba (Teitan Arts)
The Icelandic Black Metal band, Svartidauði have already proven themselves as one of the most promising Black Metal bands of recent times. Their 2012 album Flesh Cathedral garnered a lot of positive attention. Their latest release, The Synthesis of Whore and Beast is a continuation of their dissonant, yet cohesive and catchy sound. The two-song EP starts off with Venus Illegitima, which is consistently intense while being drenched in the immediately recognisable atmosphere from their previous effort. The second track, Impotent Solar Phallus, is a direct assault on the senses with a much more aggressive approach and greater degree of dissonance, but is equally atmospheric and evocative. There are some obvious Deathspell Omega influences to be heard in both the tracks, but Svartidauði manage to craft their own sound instead of letting their love for the aforementioned band get in the way of originality. The songs here are immediately memorable and don’t take multiple listens to fully appreciate, for instance, the dissonant lead on Impotent Solar Phallus following the transition to a slower section has a tendency to stick in one’s head.
The musicianship and production have both improved considerably, with all the minor details in the form of dissonant arpeggios and the melodic lead guitar riffs being way more audible in the midst of the sonic chaos. In spite of the clean production and technical proficiency, The Synthesis of Whore and Beast manages to be as ugly and chaotic as any good Black Metal release should be, thanks to the mysterious atmosphere. However, this EP sounds much more “warm” and “alive” than a typical Black Metal album, which is a very welcome change from the trebly, cold sound associated with the genre. Although they can be compared to other “orthodox” Black Metal bands, Svartidauði stand out because they don’t directly ape Ondskapt/Mayhem/Deathspell Omega and have a distinct songwriting style which happens to be more straight-forward rather than a chaotic mess.
The only negative aspect of this release is its rather short length of 16 minutes. If the band had saved this material for a full-length consisting of equally great songs, it would definitely end up being one of the greatest modern Black Metal albums.
RATING : 4.5/5 (A most erudite grimoire, and a worthy addition to the annals of metal prowess)
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