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Skáphe - Untitled review




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Reviewer:
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17 users:
7.06
Band: Skáphe
Album: Untitled
Release date: March 2017


01. VII

If you've been napping around so far this year, waiting for a standout black metal release to swing around your way, it's time to wake the fuck up. The beast hath returned.

The journey of Skáphe so far has been comparable to that of a child with Progeria. This band is young, not even 5 years old, but already they have shown signs of immense growth and sound maturation across their three current releases. Originally spawned in 2014 by the talented wizard that is Alexander Poole (also of Chaos Moon and Krieg note), soon the mysterious D.G. of Misþyrming was recruited as well, helping to make an already impressive sound even more dynamic and spine tingling. This new ingredient resulted in the colossal Skáphe² from last year. What next?

Just about a year later, now fans get graced with a new EP from the band, Untitled (let's just call it "That Nameless Bastard," or TNB, to make this more fun). There's only one track here, but Skáphe didn't sell us short, as "VII" is no less than 22 minutes of pure, swirling black metal madness. Essentially picking right up where the previous album left off, here we're treated to an extremely hypnotic and satisfying brand of psychedelically-infused black metal. Not quite the spacey, bouncy variety of bands like Oranssi Pazuzu or Angst Skvadron, but more the "wobbly," chaotic brand explored by those like Arizmenda or Wormlust. Even so, despite the similarity to the latter two, Skáphe remain a tricky, unique monster, one that can easily stand on its own two feet and legitimately say "this is our sound."

The most impressive feature of Skáphe that keeps me coming back, and that is written all over TNB, is just how seriously well their black metal snakes in and out of ferocity and those more relaxed, ethereal moments of psychedelia. Give special attention to the music here from about 2 to 10 minutes in. Hear how it starts building in its chaos towards the 3 1/2 mark, with those blasts and frantic riffs? Then it begins to gradually slow in tempo, becoming more midpaced by 5 minutes, and by 6 minutes, holy shit my friend, you have been thrown headfirst into the Shadow Realm. But don't worry, you won't stay there forever. More bursts of energy are coming. But so is more of the Shadow Realm as well. With Skáphe, this interesting, sophisticated dance between the two is just the name of the game.

If you were still questioning the quality of Skáphe, or to what degree they stand at the forefront of "great" black metal bands at the moment, let those doubts be put to rest now. With TNB they have done it yet again, serving up the third dose in a saga of highly creative, engaging black metal that will hopefully only continue to grow from here. The only complaint with this release is that it's just a single track. But hey, I damn sure know I'd rather be foaming at the mouth for more than screaming for it to stop.

Go get that beauty.





Written on 12.03.2017 by Metal Storm’s own Babalao. Comforting the disturbed and disturbing the comfortable since 2013.


Comments

Comments: 7   Visited by: 113 users
12.03.2017 - 18:02
Marcus
Doit Like Bernie
Psychedlic bm from the guy behind Chaos Moon? Yeah I'm sold.
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12.03.2017 - 18:10
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Marcus on 12.03.2017 at 18:02

Psychedlic bm from the guy behind Chaos Moon? Yeah I'm sold.

Yeah I honestly prefer Skaphe to Chaos Moon, just because of my tastes probably, but Poole is overall one talented motherfucker. Some of his works are better than others, but all are worth checking out, really
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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13.03.2017 - 01:02
LuciferOfGayness
Account deleted
Not sure that "snakes" is the best way to put it but I completly agree. They should have had just a bit more patience and held this for a full length, but then again 40-60 minutes of this could have been a bit too much, we will never know. Trve modern psychedelia

And I owe these guys some merch buying. Took it down for free.
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13.03.2017 - 01:30
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Guest on 13.03.2017 at 01:02

And I owe these guys some merch buying. Took it down for free.

Grab yourself a Skáphe² shirt, I did when they first went on sale and that design (front and back) is too sick to pass up.
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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14.03.2017 - 11:17
InnerSelf
proofread free
He started exploring this sort of sound on Esoterica but he was not there yet in terms of balance, but he reached his final form here.
It's easy to lump Skaphe up with other modern Icelandic BM-sounding bands but I think he's in league of his own.

Give me a G. Give me an O. Give me an A. Give me an L. Give me an E. Give me an X
GO ALEX.
sorry

EDIT: Loved the review as always
----
He who is not bold enough
to be stared at from across the abyss
is not bold enough
to stare into it himself.
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14.03.2017 - 15:15
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by InnerSelf on 14.03.2017 at 11:17

He started exploring this sort of sound on Esoterica but he was not there yet in terms of balance, but he reached his final form here.
It's easy to lump Skaphe up with other modern Icelandic BM-sounding bands but I think he's in league of his own.

It's technically still American as it was started here in the States by Poole as a one manner, but I get why you say that because of the D.G. recruitment. I honestly don't hear too much of a similarity to many Icelandic BM bands here though, aside Wormlust, but that band is kind of in a league of its own as well. I do definitely agree with the "final form" thing though, this is definitely my favorite thing he's yet done.
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
Loading...
14.03.2017 - 16:38
InnerSelf
proofread free
Written by Auntie Sahar on 14.03.2017 at 15:15

It's technically still American as it was started here in the States by Poole as a one manner, but I get why you say that because of the D.G. recruitment. I honestly don't hear too much of a similarity to many Icelandic BM bands here though, aside Wormlust, but that band is kind of in a league of its own as well. I do definitely agree with the "final form" thing though, this is definitely my favorite thing he's yet done.


I didn't word that right (but I don't proofread). I meant to compare it in sound to some Icelandic BM bands, but this is, as A.P. mentioned numerous times, his band (he does almost all of the songwriting).

I still refer Chaos Moon though because of sentimental reasons
----
He who is not bold enough
to be stared at from across the abyss
is not bold enough
to stare into it himself.
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