Crowhurst : " III"

The opening song, sticks closer to a more traditional form of black metal, without relying solely on blast beats. Its on Self Portrait with Halo and Snake  that things get interesting for it starts of with a more post-punk feel. Low baritone vocals carry a haunting melody. The guitar has a more indie rock angle to it. The song does swell into harsh vocals , but everything is very smooth. These vocals continue on into the song after this. The guitars have more of a narcotic sonic feel to them here. Almost shoe-gaze in the hazy nature they drone with their melodies. A formula begins to develop as this song also builds into a harsher vocals. It flows very naturally. While many bands have tried to pair shoe gaze with black metal , not many get the right balance like these guys do.

Nachymystium might be a good reference point for the direction of this new darker sonic space the band is embarking upon. The guitars are really doing some interesting things which requires the drummer using the restraint to give them the space to do so. I can see where at this point in time if you showed up for a black metal album you might be disappointed or confused. Given my musical tastes however I am blissed out by this shift. Things grow more ominous on " la faim". The vocals take on more of a Danzig feel.By Danzig , I am referring more to Samhain. It is as heavy as it is sonic , which is always a sweet spot for me. It sounds great , but from a song writing perspective works off the one drone.

"Ghost Tropic " takes elements of the despondent sounds a band like Swans employs and sets it against a rawly emoted anguish. I am not sure I would call this black metal, but it comes closest to being depressive black metal. I have mentioned Nachtmystium before in conjunction to the kind of dismal sonic space they are moving into on this album, and that comparison is even more warranted on the song "Five Characters in Search of an Exit". The build a storm of dense noise and anger here. The vocals have a mean snarl to them.  The song collapse midway into it and becomes electronic noise that goes into an almost industrial pound despite being so disjointed. I will round this up to a 9.5 , as it shows a great deal of growth, even it that growth came at the price of growing away from black metal.