I have always been drawn to black metal bands that have strange, otherworldly qualities. This issue of Frost Vision is devoted to three such acts. The first two - Vocivus and Xothist - were formed by the same man, while those responsible for the last one - Qulielfi - are completely anonymous.
Vocivus - Vocivus
Vocivus was formed in the early-2010s by Daniel Bouse, and he was joined by N.S. of Tollund Men. Their only release was a self-titled demo in 2011.
The total runtime is eighteen minutes, but there are only two tracks. The first is black metal while the other is dark ambient. The last song sounds appropriately unsettling, but I'm much more interested in the black metal portion, which draws so heavily from doom metal that it borders on sounding like depressive black metal. The lo-fi production gives off the impression that the recording was discovered in some dark and dank cellar. The vocals, which consist of hate-filled rasps and growls, are a bit smothered by the other elements, making them sound like they're coming from those who lurk in forgotten reaches.
The drums, which I suspect are programmed, maintain slow and steady beats that also place great emphasis on intricate cymbal work. I was especially impressed by the elaborate, almost tribal rhythms they played near the end of the song. The guitars play harrowing high-pitched chords that have a slight tinge of sorrow. At around the three minute mark they drop in pitch, giving an air of menace to the music. All the while they are bolstered by deep and heavy bass.
This demo was quite short, but it was quite the gripping experience. It's just as good as it was when I first listened to it over a decade ago.
Xothist - Xothist
Sometime after Vocivus put out their only demo, Daniel Bouse created another black metal band called Xothist, which released their self-titled debut shortly after formation. The enigmatic cover art - consisting of a triangle amidst a harsh red and black field - was what drew me towards it. The music is equally strange.
It starts off with a five minute long dark ambient track. The simple yet weird chords - which remind me of the LLN's various dark ambient projects - eventually give way to ominous low-pitced synth keys. One minute into the second song, we finally get a taste of the black metal, and its atmosphere and composition both perplex and astound me. The production is obviously lo-fi. Cloudy distortion hangs over the entire presentation. It made me feel like I was reading some arcane book from a long-forgotten time and place. Most of its pages are missing, the remaining text is barely legible, and its wisdom is scarcely comprehensible.
The programmed drums offer up many mid-paced rhythms that feature thumping double bass and strong cymbal work. Sometimes they pick up the pace and play galloping rhythms, like those on the third track. The rasps and howls are buried beneath the cloudy distortion, making them sound like angry spirits from the unfathomably distant past.
The guitars are the most impressive element. The many tremolo riffs are finely crafted. They are also played for long stretches of time, creating a hypnotic effect. Through the use of various melodies, a wide range of emotions are expressed. Sometimes, like on the second track, they have a morose sound akin to depressive black metal. The third track is quite impressive, for it features many arpeggios and elaborate chord progressions that give it a progressive metal quality. The riffs on the track after that take on a more epic quality, reminding me of certain Eastern European black metal bands. The despair-drenched riffs on the fifth track remind me of bands like Xasthur. The sharpest and deadliest tremolo riffs are reserved for the final song.
I first listened to this album around 2013 or so. I can't remember exactly when. I thought it was pretty good. The older I've become, the more I appreciate its finer details, from the ghostly vocals to the vibrant riffs. It's a fantastic release and I can't praise it enough.
Xothist - Simulacrum
In 2014, Xothist released an EP called Dwarfer. Unfortunately, I can't find it anywhere, so I can't review it. Around this same time, the band got signed to Fallen Empire Records, a label famous for distributing unique and high quality black metal. On August 9, 2014, Xothist unveiled their second full-length album Simulacrum. Nothing has been heard from them since.
The production is a bit cleaner than it was on their first album. On the one hand, I can hear the instruments more clearly. On the other hand, it doesn't sound as atmospheric. At least the music itself is extremely high quality. The programmed drums still play many of the same mid-paced rhythms from their 2011 offering, complete with thumping double bass, but this time around they spice things up with strong blast beats. Since there are only two long tracks on offer here, it ends up feeling even more like Eastern European black metal.
The rasping and howling vocals still sound ghostly thanks to being shrouded by cloudy distortion. Once again the guitars astound. Though they no longer sound mysterious, they make up for it by being technically proficient. One moment the tremolo riffs sound cold and menacing, and the other minute they become more elaborate and epic. They also play some classic black metal chord progressions at the beginning of the second track. The cover art depicts an aurora above a forest, so thematically these riffs are quite appropriate. They still include dark ambient elements, but most of them are tacked on at the end almost as an afterthought. I wish they were more interspersed throughout the runtime like they were on their previous offering.
Simulacrum was a great album, but to be honest, I prefer the enigmatic charm of the band's first full-length. I'd love to hear more from them, but seeing as how they've been silent for over a decade, I doubt that will happen.
Qulielfi - Forgetter
Qulielfi is another one of those obscure black metal bands whose members prefer to be anonymous, so I can't say much about them. All I know is that they formed around the early-2010s, released a single full-length album called Forgetter in 2013, and have been silent ever since.
The music on offer is quite diverse. As is to be expected from a release like this, the production is quite lo-fi. Though I can still hear the instruments fine, the distortion and sound quality give off the impression that the recording was discovered in some long abandoned cabin. The drums in particular have a raw, thumping quality. Speaking of which, the drums fill up the album with vigorous blast beats, which are broken up on rare occasions by slower rhythms. The vocals consist of strangled rasps and howls that remind me of bands like Leviathan. They're full of hatred and spite, and they're made even more menacing by the raw production. They also perform some nice clean vocals on songs like "Plain of Aletheia Plain of Truth."
The guitars are quite varied. The tremolo riffs on the first track feature somber melodies that draw inspiration from depressive black metal. The second song features energetic palm-muted riffs, and at the halfway point they play chord progressions that remind me of various Cascadian black metal bands. Many other similar riffs are played across the remaining five songs, and they all have excellent sound and delivery. Most intriguing of all are the various folk elements scattered throughout. At certain points we are treated to flutes, strings, and pounding drums that make the music sound all the more mystical and primordial.
Forgetter is one of the most fascinating and unique black metal albums I've ever heard. Despite its name, I doubt I will forget this one.