Black Metal -Monachopsis Art : "An Empty Existence"

Natalie from the Abbey, whose new album we also review, is in this black metal project. Not as raw as many of their Finnish countrymen, there is a more deliberate and majestic feel . The vocals are multilayered, with both the anguished scowling of the more wretched larynx torture along with the softer more operatic intonations of Natalie. The songs gallop more than they blast at you which is a testament to the commitment to songwriting. By the time the album gets around to "River of Blood," things have progressed to a melodic place that goes well outside of the ugly bounds of black metal. Which is fine with me, for black metal fans this might require a bit of broadening their horizons.

They snarl back to more comfortable sonic territory for the more cvlt ov us with "A Dark Place" . Even then there is plenty of melody that the song wanders into with a vampiric majesty to the synth lines that add dimension to the song. The production of this album made the most with the budget they had to work with and adds some charm to the proceedings. It is not until 'Stargazer' that blast beats really begin to surface. With this taste of blood in their mouths it opens the door for these more rabid tempos to incite a faster feeding frenzy. However they do this with a great deal of restraint and have the good sense to ebb back down into darker moments. 

Things also gather more of a depressive vibe by the time the album winds it way down to "No Desire to Live". The snarling vocal do a great job of conveying contempt . There are some faster passages that begin to take root once again. The album closes with "Flame of Night" this is a return to a more grandiose regal march executed with less production value than needed , but they make it work with the tracks they had at their disposal. I will give this one a 9.5, as it is a super fun listen and dark enough to satisfy the needs of my evil soul. If you like black metal that focuses on songs more than adhering to a sound this album is for you.It drops in March.