ALBUM REVIEW: The Man Behind The Sun – SednA
Italian metal is not as celebrated as it should be (HOUR OF PENANCE or HIDEOUS DIVINITY anyone?) but Cesena metallers SEDNA deserve your attention. The band have been working hard over the years and are ready to unleash their impressive new opus The Man Behind The Sun. Seamlessly moving between the ferocity of black metal, the tranquillity of post-rock and the darkness of doom metal, SEDNA create their own brand of post-metal.
The Man Behind The Sun is one track, clocking in at thirty three and a half minutes. This is SEDNA delivering their heaviest and most moving soundscapes to date. Any track which lasts as long as half an hour is risky, but SEDNA have the talent and creativity to keep things interesting. Every five minutes or so things shifts which gives the illusion of individual songs. However, there is no way The Man Behind The Sun could be as morbidly thrilling if chopped into segments.
A bleak vein runs throughout the album, creating an oppressive atmosphere. This only makes the listener succumb to the macabre soundscapes until the very end. The build-ups and crescendos are from a parallel world where extreme metal bands reign supreme in the land of post-rock. Raw and intense, SEDNA demolish the senses and trigger darkly emotional responses from the depths of human despair itself. It’s mesmerising stuff and they don’t mess about when the opening bars of The Man Behind The Sun resonate.
Brooding drums enter the domain while the guitars start to gain some substance, somehow giving the sound a hint of tribal menace. Hypnotic and dark, this introduction dwells on a chilling ambience. Cold and desolate it bodes ill for any feeble listener attempting to find warmth and comfort. Once SEDNA have you in their icy clutches they then impose a black metal cascade of blistering riffs, relentless blast beats and devastating vocals. Screaming behind a huge veil of sound which lapses into solemn post-rock, SEDNA expose their inner demons with ruinous effect.
During the brief calm, a sombre riff dominates as the atmosphere slowly builds to another devastating drop. Any small glimmers of hope for escape are immediately crushed as SEDNA reel you back in. The Man Behind The Sun continues to overwhelm with its colossal allure and refreshing dips into serenity. Ten minutes in and there’s no telling whether its chaos or peace which will ensue. SEDNA brilliantly combine the two and the result is impressive. It seems it is the vocals and drums which bring the turmoil and the guitars which maintain neutral ground. Moments of triumph and glimpses of light start to peek through the breaks, creating bittersweet blackgaze instances. It is halfway through The Man Behind The Sun when SEDNA start to tame their tumultuous ways and embrace stillness. This emphasises the momentous gravity of their work as quiet is needed to process and appreciate their deafening power.
A subdued bass riff dampens the airy atmosphere and spells the start of a fresh wave of horror. Things take a further desolate turn with shouted vocals belted out from the depths. Mournful melodies replace any optimism which was hinted earlier. The bleakness has returned as SEDNA settle back into the desperate screams and hectic instrumentation. This is one last attempt at total devastation before the final descent begins. When The Man Behind The Sun hits the thirty minutes mark, a battering spiral of assault is in its maximum strength. All components are at full throttle and SEDNA are determined to take the whole world down with them. Terrifying, awe-inducing and climatic, the resulting minutes are fiendishly stunning.
Once the whirlwind of rage has subsided, only shadows remain. SEDNA have completely smashed expectations with The Man Behind The Sun. Only the ambitious or foolish attempt a feat like this and luckily the band prove they fall under the first category. An album so terrifying bleak and serene, the flawless transitions between moods is expertly executed. Listeners will be held at the band’s mercy. Considering the ambition of the album, The Man Behind The Sun never outstays its welcome. SEDNA claim the album is the end before a new era. If this work is anything to go by then the future looks terrifying.
Rating: 8/10
The Man Behind The Sun is set for release September 13th via Spikerot Records.
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