Predatory Void : "Seven Keys to the Discomfort of Being"

Combining members of Amenra with the vocalist from Russian Black Metal band Cross Bringer, there is something dark and powerful being created here. While Lina's vocal mainly focus on more brutal harshness, she does sing some passages in a more ethereal alto . The heaviness is a like a crashing wave , it hit and then recedes with a throb. I would say these guys are more sludge than any other genre as the sonic heaviness approaches the shadows rather than bathing in them like a doom band would. There is more emotion being poured out here than just aggression. 

Simmering under the surface is a  black metal influence, that comes from more than just the scathing manner Lina screams. Blast beats bubble like a furious undercurrent on the title track. It starts off as one of the most melodic songs, before things get ugly. The two minutes into the song and they take off with the speed for a good thirty seconds. The manner the black metal elements are woven into the fabric of their sound, is done in a very organic manner, so it's not like they are all of sudden showing up in corpse pain. Not that there is anything theatrical enough to call for that display of their inner Halloween to paint themselves up for. With that said, I do not think the title track is as well written as the first two songs. It's not ineffective, it just doesn't connect with me as much mood wise. 

Normally I would prefer the kind of downtrodden folk they veer off into with "Seeds of Frustration" but the song just lingers in its melancholic drone and never goes elsewhere. They hammer back at you with a black metal core anger. The drummer is impressive there is no question about that. It is not their most hook filled song. Instead, it works off a stormy brooding. If you are wondering which genre is heavier black metal or sludge, that question is answered by the shift of sound going into "Shedding Weathered Skin" proves the weight of deliberation crushes blast beats . The last song gives your ears more breathing room by creating space for dynamics when it breaks down into a more palm muted hush. I will give this album a 9, it is pretty relentless, but shows a willingness to work with melody, and has a beautifully dark mood.