At this point in my listening career, for a black metal album to resonate with me, it needs to show some ambition, some creativity. For a genre that so readily sets itself up for this kind of exploration, too many bands stick to a common formula. Frankly, I listen to a lot of black metal, so I am bored more often than I am impressed. Fortunately, bands like Mesarthim also exist; bands that show a willingness to put their own spin on a genre. And with their debut album, Isolate, Mesarthim have certainly managed to capture my attention in incredibly efficient fashion. 

Emerging from Australia only this past year, Mesarthim dropped their debut album, Isolate, on July 26th, 2015 in digital. It was an album I was curious about when it dropped but only recently got my hands on thanks to #MetalBandcampGiftClub. If you haven’t figured it out already, Mesarthim is a project heavily focused on atmosphere, the cosmos, and our conceptual existence. With a name that references a star system in the northern constellation of Aries, they ensure that their thematic approach is clear from the beginning. And in this case I don’t think that’s a bad thing. This style of black metal certainly has its own niche, and if it’s this experience you are seeking out, it is perfectly safe to judge this album by its cover. Their sound fits their imagery perfectly. And from the opening moments of this record, you get exactly what you want as a listener.

From the opening moments of “Osteopenia” we are projected upwards with raw, drawn-out cries layered over natural guitar rhythms and symphonic keys that create an impressively unique atmosphere. It is these keyboard-heavy symphonic elements that stand out the most in the overall sound, however it is the rhythms and percussion that guide the music from one minute to the next. The relationship between all these elements is really quite mesmerizing, the dark and symphonic meet in near-perfect harmony for the majority of the album. That said, there are moments on “Desolation” and “Abyss”, for example, that are dangerously poppy to the point of being arguably too over the top. For the sound and the energy Mesarthim is after, it works well enough, but there are definitely moments where the impact of the keyboards could be lessened to give the songs a bit more of a serious feel. A minor sub-point in an overall clever sound.

One aspect of Isolate that I need to mention is how fluid the album is from start to finish. And by that I mean the songs can blend in with each other to the point where you may miss a transition from one song to another. Again, this isn’t a bad thing given the album’s focus on atmosphere and the overall listening environment. But it should have an impact on how an audience absorbs this music. It is best listened to straight through, in isolation, and with an open mind. They aimed to create a unique environment around their audience, and they certainly succeeded in doing so if listened to in the proper setting.

Overall, Isolate is an album that Mesarthim can build on. The emotions they generate through their introspective take on atmospheric black metal is both creative and enjoyable. Of course, there are areas of potential improvement. But in terms of setting a target and delivering it, they do so very well. Isolate feels like a journey through space and time and I thoroughly recommend spending some time with it. I’m absolutely in love with the captivating twist on black metal they have conceived and cannot wait to see what the future holds for this project.

“Ein Bier… bitte.”
– Corey

Isolate is available in digital now. Physical copies are set to release next month through Avantgarde Music. For more information on Mesarthim, visit their official Facebook page.