Harnessing an interesting dichotomy at it’s base level – instruments sound as if recorded in primitive circumstances, despite the obvious complexity of the music and painstaking attention to detail afforded the compositions by the musicians – Norwegian collective Tilintetgjort immediately mark themselves out as being very obviously apart from the rump of Norwegian black metal artists currently plying their trade.
In Death I Shall Arise is a rare release in the modern world of black metal; Here you can find, in stark reverse to the norm, a triumph of substance over style. Each piece of music fuses the talents of these involved in perfect disharmony, juxtaposing a rawness of sound with smooth, technically superb performances. Each musical piece benefits from this approach, creating a beguilingly unique range of shades across the musical palette.
As an example, I would point the listener to the album’s second piece, Sannhetens Søyler; Here, the album as a whole can be found in microcosm. Despite the noise generated, the facade of chaos can be quickly stripped away to reveal musicians in complete empathy with one another. Performance is slick: The rhythm section is amongst the best this reviewer has encountered, with drums propulsive and bass roving through the gaps left unguarded by the guitars. This undoubtedly assists the overall feel – to create what is known as a ‘wall of sound’ – and yet the compositions are recorded in such a way that the listener is able to easily identify the contributions made by each musician. This in turn intensifies the listener’s experience, heightening the impact of each piece.
Whilst acknowledging that the artists do not purvey a style of music that is easily accessible to most listeners, it is also noted that – perhaps as a by-product of the skill involved rather than as a distinct aim of the music’s creators – In Death I Shall Arise is a very listenable record on many levels. An open mind is required, but there is much to enjoy here and as such this is an album which is easy to recommend.
In Death I Shall Arise is out now.
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