The other day I was having a conversation about music with a coworker, and they had a reasonable question on my taste for dark and depressing music. To paraphrase, the question was “how can I enjoy depressing music without being a dark person?”. I could’ve gone into different psychological reasons like it acting as a cathartic release when I went through immense low-points in life. To put it in a simpler manner, I related it to watching a horror movie or any other kind of media that displays hard to swallow topics. It can bring strong emotions and even an adrenaline rush. Of course I gave the recommendation to take it slow as they venture into darker music because leaping into an album like the one up for discussion today, Death. Void. Terror.’s To The Great Monolith II, will immediately scare someone away for life.

For those of you who are already desensitized to these preconceived ideas, you’re in for a treat. Take an already hellish black metal album like Leviathan’s Scar Sighted, and pull it back to a brooding dissonance not often explored. To The Great Monolith II would be the result of this process. Unlike Death. Void. Terror.’s To The Great Monolith I, there is more of a keen focus towards nuance within the distant construction that mimics the bottom layer of hell. The production is dank, but doesn’t sacrifice instrumental equilibrium in the process just to add another layer of disturbing that as a result takes away from other disturbing aspects. That is a problem in many underground black metal albums where as they try to pursue greater darkness they eliminate the real compelling factors. It’s nice to hear another group this year like Revenant Marquis that doesn’t fall into such a trap.

Buried in the production is a fusion of black metal aggression and depressing doom metal elements. Varying between muted blast beats and tension building bass drums, Death. Void. Terror. is able to balance the two brooding genres to a middle ground of depression and anxiety. Consistent cymbals act as a driving force to the stability of the four tracks, especially on “(– –)” near the end where the density on the album reaches its climax. Most of To The Great Monolith II has impressive percussive arrangements like the middle of “(– – –)” which lashes between different paces and complexities or the chaotic blast beats on “(- — -)” that seem barely able to contain themselves.

The drumming is definitely the main highlight in my eyes of this album in terms of instrumentals under this dissonance. Yet the other instrumentals do a solid job at keeping up. At times the guitar tones can feel like they drag on for slightly too long, but they offer a basis for To The Great Monolith II’s aim for damp atmosphere to succeed. There are minor moments that lift the guitars to a new and creative stage of atmosphere like the droning layers of feedback at the end of “(- — -)” and the tremolo solos that reach screeching notes. The bass guitar in the production is slightly hard to hear, and when you do hear it it is riding that line between standard and solid. That’s fine though and barely effects the album because of the production which thrives with more prominent percussion. Vocally the album doesn’t go too outlandish with them, but when it does it feels justified and not over-theatrical. From guttural growls to psychotic screaming to even some wailing that is praying for a savior, the vocals are effective within the context their placed. Plus they are in the middle of the production where it acts as it’s own instrument which is a nice touch.

I really love this album. Black metal with doom elements and even some brief droning to break up the cacophony of tracks executed hellishly well. Even with some portions hidden within these frustratingly named tracks that feel fairly standard, the production helps carry it til it reaches a more dynamic section. Like I said before, this album is not for those who are looking to get into black metal; more for longtime fans who have developed an ear and understanding for the genres intensity. Also as a tip I recommend getting some good earphones or speakers to get the full experience out of To The Great Monolith II. Yet another surprise sweeps into the scene early this year, and I am excited to hear where Death. Void. Terror. go next with their terrifying greatness.

Favorite Tracks: “(- — -)”; “(– – –)”; “(– –)”

Rating: 8/10

Released: 01/24/2020

Label: Repose Records

Genres: Depressive Black Metal; Doom Metal

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RATING SCALE

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