In Dante’s Inferno, the second circle begins the proper punishment of Hell, a place where “no thing gleams.” It is reserved for those overcome with Lust, where carnal appetites hold sway over reason. In Nine Circles, it’s where we do shorter reviews of new(ish) albums that share a common theme.
Sometimes the primary connecting thread between two releases is “life caught up with me and I didn’t have time to review them individually.” While both of these artists are doing their part to push the sound of black metal forward, they differ in many ways. One delivers grand, epic melodicism while the other indulges in piercing dissonance; one is a returning favorite of mine and the other a debut full-length. What unites Inherits the Void and Forsmán is the exceptional quality of black metal delivered on both fronts.
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Ever since The Impending Fall of the Stars dropped in early 2023, Inherits the Void has been one of my favorite up-and-coming melodic black metal acts, with Scars of Yesteryears charting high on my 2024 AOTY list. The Silent Abscission sees mastermind AS return to a more atmospheric, spacey sound that feels like a more evolved form of what was featured on Impending Fall (dialing back on some of the beefier melodic death grooves that underpinned Yesteryears). Joining him on this release is not only returning session drummer Nicolas Müller (Akiavel, ex-Artefact, ex-Svart Crown), but Romain Negro (Apolaustic, ex-Stortregn) taking over lead vocal duties. The inclusion of the latter seems to have rubbed off on AS and the sound of Inherits the Void on this release, as I can note more than a few similarities to the Apolaustic debut I covered back in April.
While fierce trem-picking and soaring leads still form the core of the Inherits the Void sound, it takes on a more progressive direction with frequent clean guitar breaks, guest clean vocals, and even saxophone (incorporated extremely well on the self-titled closing track). These elements come together to replace the extended Mare Cognitum-esque lines that exemplified the spacey atmosphere of Impending Fall, feeling more unique and grounded in the process. “In the Shadow of the Falling Star” is easily my favorite track on the album, with a primary melodic line that ascends to the heavens and a cathartic, post-y buildup that explodes into a grand finale. The Silent Abscission is yet another solid release in the Inherits the Void story, one that looks towards new horizons while serving as a great album all on its own.
The Silent Abscission is available now through Avantgarde Music. For more information on Inherits the Void, check out their Facebook and Instagram pages.
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While some of the scene’s flagship acts from the mid/late 2010s have gone quiet or disbanded, Icelandic black metal proves to be alive and well with the recent releases from Vafurlogi and Forsmán. Brenndar rústir & fuðrandi fjörur is the latter’s first full-length following a 2021 EP; following in the footsteps of numerous countrymen Forsmán present an abrasive, dissonant form of black metal. This side of black metal inherently strays close to the border of death metal, and opener “Drottinn fyrirgefur allt” goes full in that direction with chunky, palm-muted riffage accentuated by pinch harmonic squeals. This remains a constant throughout the album, as jagged peaks of upper register dischord emerge from an infernal bedrock of chords that form the base of their riffs.
The songwriting of Brenndar rústir & fuðrandi fjörur tends to be pretty linear, returning to certain riffs merely for dramatic effect. Production-wise the sound is very punchy (the drums especially), perfectly suited for both the pummeling death metal riffs and the side of blackened dissonance. While few and far between there are occasional outside sounds incorporated into the mix, such as tasteful horns in the grand finale of the more atmospheric “Svartir svanir.” Backing choral vocals are also used to evoke a more epic feeling amidst all the chaos; essential in truly bringing Paolo Girardi’s album art to life. Brenndar rústir & fuðrandi fjörur is a strike of volcanic lightning that fuses death metal from hell with glacial blackness in the manner Icelandic musicians are best at, firmly planting Forsmán’s flag amongst their peers in the scene.
Brenndar rústir & fuðrandi fjörur is available now through Vesperian (Worldwide) and Metal Blade Records (USA). For more information on Forsmán, check out their Bandcamp page.
— Colin
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