ALBUM REVIEW: All Occupied By Sole Death – Khandra

Since the beginning of black metal, the genre has evolved in possibly one of the largest scales under the metal umbrella. Whilst it’s always been bleak and considered evil, the sounds we experience in 2021 is much different to its founding era in the 80s. The ‘original’ style is still around and thriving, but over the past decade or so, bands have opted to explore more atmospheric roots which incorporate more harmonies and melodies in the sound. Upon releasing their debut EP, All Is Of No Avail, in 2017, Belarusian KHANDRA joined the ranks of the more refined sounding side of the genre. Now, as their seeds have continued to grow, the band are here to unleash devastation with debut album All Occupied By Sole Death.

Mute moleben opens the album with simple sound effects, yet the build up is powerful into anticipation, rightfully so when Irrigating Lethal Acres with Blood kicks in. The track, alongside plenty of others, despite creeping in, have tones that need to come with that brief and subtle warning. From the off with their debut, KHANDRA show that they are going to deliver some of the iciest atmospheres yet remain elegantly refined in their chaos.

Nothing But Immortality for Aye, With The Blessing of Starless Night and Thanatos are all brilliant examples of how the band have been able to create a continuation of this mood throughout the album. There’s no real clear break from it, which can feel repetitive at times, but in another light, it shows that there is no give in this constant assault of torture. KHANDRA tend to tread a fine line with this balance, where there’s the repetitive feeling, it’s easy to blend the material into one another. However, where there’s the no give feeling, you’re left with admiration for how the Belarusian black metallers have kept up this hate-fuelled effort. It can be easy to stray off the path and lose the atmosphere and emotion in black metal, so to keep this up is a pleasure to experience.

Not all of the songs follow this repetition in sound however, whilst the atmosphere remains the same, in tracks such as In Harvest Against The Sun, there’s a little more room with experimentation of sound. The band have clearly explored their own style since their 2017 breakthrough, and its here where you can really sense the depth of how far they have gone with their journey. Fortunately for KHANDRA, this has paid off significantly, where they sound like they’ve come into their own on the album, is where they sound their absolute best. In Harvest Against The Sun is fast-paced, powerful, full of sheer brutality, but with song-writing that excels anything they’ve put out prior in their career.

The same sentiment can be shared with the title closing track. All Occupied By Sole Death manages to blast in with an energy that can be lost within the black metal genre. It’s ferocious and leaves a distaste lingering for whatever is surrounding you in life. You’re left in this pit of despair, and yet the temptation for more is like a drug. To close their debut this way only leaves an anticipation for how the band are going to grow from here.

The album, for a debut effort, is something expected from a band who have been mastering their craft of black metal for years. Dark and with the ability to chill you to the core, All Occupied By Sole Death is storming to the frontline of the tenebrific genre and will set certain challenges for other bands to take note and see the level that the genre is at. KHANDRA are without a shadow of doubt going to be greatly adored and respected within the scene if this is the quality they will continue to keep up with. The Belarusian band are, and rightfully so, a dark and harrowing force to be reckoned with.

Rating: 8/10

All Occupied By Sole Death is out now via Season of Mist Underground Activists. 

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