Leviathan - Tentacles of Whorror
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Free Music Notes for Tentacles of Whorror
Free Music Review: a whole new level of black metal
Hit: 4 Stars
California has been the surprise breeding ground for some excellent black metal in recent years. with Xasthur, Ludicra, Crebain, and the prolific one man black metal assault that is Wrest, the mastermind behind Leviathan. i got my first taste of Leviathan's dark, art-damaged music on the Verrater release; which was a double disc set of old demos released on the excellent Tumult record label. i was blown away by that cd...and that was only a collection of demos; how good could a real full-length be? well, the supremely-titled Tentacles Of Whorror does not dissapoint. in fact, it only goes deeper into the underlit dank cavern of Leviathan's twisted and bleak audio devilry. his vocals are truly chilling, laced with distortion almost to the point of being overblown, it adds a tremendous paranoid and frenzied feeling to the music. this is a one man black metal band, and like most one man bands of this ilk (Burzum, Benighted Leams, etc.) the music adheres to a distinct and tightly executed vision. Wrest is in total control over every single element to this music and it's grip on the listener is overwhelming and impressive. this is dirty, filthy, black metal; filled with buzzsaw guitars, fast drumming, howling agonizing vocals, and hateful sentiments. but along with all of these grim BM traditions, there's plenty of forward thinking as well. the compositions involve multiple time changes, spooky ambient interludes, and a tasteful sense of artiness that makes me think that Wrest is influenced as much by progressive rock, thrash, drone, and experimental music as much as metal made by his fellow blackened bretheren. this is not to say that this isn't "true" black metal; because it is. there are no rap cameos or funky beats littering up this harsh landscape; but there are plenty of subtle touches that enforce the quality and power of this unique and essential black metal thunder (from sunny California, of all places!). hail!Free Music Review: Perfect SDBM
Hit: 5 Stars
I will be minimalist about writing this. There is not one flaw on this record. I could go on for years about every aspect ov this record. But screw that. If you want depressive black metal, look no further than this californian SDBM. Suicidal, cold grim. Just a few ov the adjectives i could use describing this. Not for the weak, or Posour Fan. Free Music Review:
Hit: 5 Stars
Moribund Records as always delivering the goods when it comes to real black metal extravaganzas.Leviathan, a one man band, is certainly no exception. Without a doubt, this is a record for black metal purists. It's a masterpiece that carries the true spirit of the originators of this genre in a triumphant manner. At 72 minutes, and with not one moment wasted, you get your money's worth here.The diversity of the material sets in different moods. Whether it's a tone of macabreism or a chant of despair, the songs are connected to each other and they all share the same attributes. Many of the songs tend to employ extended slow passages, crafted to perfection in such an agonizing way. When you least expect it, such passages are 'destroyed' and recreated with an equally somber ambience but at a different speed variation. Just when you think you're drifting away into oblivion, a new form of torment is inflicted upon you. All the instruments are surprisingly audible, and the bass guitar deserves a special mention here due to its fat, perceptable sound. Raw, ugly, evil as hell, and in-your-face, this is a black metal record that's excrutiating to listen to and I mean that as a complement. Free Music Review: USBM Supreme...
Hit: 5 Stars
This is the most amazing album I have ever heard, and Leviathan is one of the best projects to ever manfest on this dismal ruin of a world, and let alone come out of the US. Wrest (also of Lurker of Chalice, another brilliant project.) has created a new and bizarre brand of Black Metal, something you'd think a human wouldn't be capable of creating. Sickly, misanthorpic art. First, if you already have/heard his first Moribund Cult release "Tenth Sub Level of Suicide" let me just say that this isn't what you'd expect as the follow up. Wrest uses more simplistic death metal guitar riffs, and has lots of interesting ideas that he puts into effect. He uses the bass guitar more and better, and his drumming is just insane. I'm too tired to write anymore, I highly recommend this album!!!Free Music Review: One of the Best Releases in BM in Years! Terrifying USBM!
Hit: 5 Stars
The last few years in black metal has seen the slow but strong rise of USBM (black metal bands from the US) bands like Demoncy, Judas Iscariot, Absu, Krieg, and Grand Belial's Key. Even more recently has emerged the "So-Cal" BM scene with the distorted minds of people like Wrest of Leviathan and madman Malfeic of Xasthur. They all have one thing in common, though; Each band plays its own unique brand of black metal, throwing the original rules and aesthetics out, but staying true to the basic principles. Some play ultra-raw, primitive, and minimalist black metal in the vein of Darkthrone and Burzum; and others like Xasthur and Leviathan play a type of depressive, emotive, and droning black metal with distortion-soaked vocals, an unsettling dark ambient-like atmosphere, and a wall of noisy guitars. The wall of noise, when deciphered, holds many suicidal and droning melodies similar to that of Burzum, Graveland, Ildjarn, and Abyssic Hate. It's truly a sound to behold, and definitely isn't friendly to the ears.
However, I'm not comparing Leviathan to Xasthur at all. Wrest plays the drums himself, and does very well with stampeding blasts, galloping double bass, and inventive fills. (Unlike Judas Iscariot's sloppy Darkthrone-esque grinding.) The production isn't as nearly as harsh or muffled as Xasthur either. It's still VERY raw and tinged with echoes and reverbs, but the guitars are discernable and there is clarity to be found, especially when it comes to the bass guitar. Overall, the sound here seems "heavier" and more organic than that of Xasthur.
The guitars have a very eerie downtuned feel to them, and use a SICK distortion, sounding like a buzzsaw revved up to 100 mph. It seems a but distasteful at first, but with closer listening, the guitars reveal some excellent playing and trance-inducing melodies, which adds to the nightmarish, suicidal atmosphere. The slower parts are CREEPY... Every time I listen to the title track or the end of "Vexed and Vomit Hexed", I cannot help but to feel like I am falling into the deepest black hole known to man, where no light or positivity exists. The album as a whole has a crushing atmosphere, and it will rape your sanity into oblivion. Wrest's tortured cries are soaked in distortion and reverb, like a lost soul screaming in pain in the deepest abyss. If you listen to this album at night, you will swear to yourself that you're sinking into utter bleakness and a state of pure depression. All of the tracks here are absolute genius, and I can't find a single thing wrong with it. (Though my faves are tracks 4,5,7, and 9.) The production is raw, but holds the essence of all instruments well.
If you're looking for haunting, suicidal, depressive black metal, this is definitely worth picking up. Reccommended to fans of Ildjarn, Graveland, Burzum, Darkthrone, and Abyssic Hate. By far the best metal album of 2004.