ALBUM REVIEW: True Western Doom – Sonoran Rebel Black Magick

Let’s just cut right to the chase. SONORAN BLACK REBEL MAGICK is a bizarre concept. Born from the fathomous mind of Andrew Markuszewski (LORD MANTIS, AVICHI), it is a project that feels staggeringly unique, largely as a result of the peculiar assortment of influence that it haphazardly draws together. Markuszewski‘s strong passion for desert culture links with his desire to write music that pushes beyond his black metal roots, and his decision to mix dark sound structures with traditional western songwriting. With his debut album True Western Doom, this has transpired as a bleak, sad tale, that bustles with uncomfortable melancholy and a genre-defying gravity.

Throughout the record, every instrument and every vocal line is performed by Markuszewski. Whilst showcasing his obvious talent, this solitary loneliness reflects the aura of the album, which appears to depict a vast emptiness. The Wild West was a huge and perilous place, and as Pilgrim Of The Sun opens up proceedings, this can be felt in the cold and harrowing atmosphere. Melodic guitar fills the opening stages, before unnerving vocals cast a shadow over the track. They are never quite prominent – the layered string work remains the focal point – but their presence cannot be ignored as the album begins to forge a mysterious path forwards.

Poetry Of The Tomb is the first track proper, portrayed almost as the soundtrack to some unknown Western/Apocalyptic movie crossover. It’s very cinematographic, and as Markuszewski continues to swipe at the vintage ’60s Gibson Hummingbird acoustic guitar he used to record the album, harsh vocals are added to the mix, helping contribute to the hostile grandeur. The atmospheric black metal roots begin to shine through, and as the track plays out in white noise for its bridge into No Country For The Weak, the album starts to grate accordingly. With this third track, the story told of hard-lived American life continues. Again, guitar is the primary instrument, punctuated minimalistically by hi-hats and kick drums, and visions of campfire storytelling become firmly fixed in our minds.

This basic, stripped back approach seems to mirror the kind of simple, barren lifestyle that it depicts, and it isn’t until Devil Shine On Me that anything like contemporary musicianship can be heard. The overall tone and tempo remain untouched, but oddly, electronica is utilised to cook up a track evocative of 80’s synth pop. Here, the vocals are at their most soulful, and Markuszewski even dares to sound a little hopeful in his lyricism. That being said, the darkness returns in epic fashion with the title track, a squalid tale of obscenity told with a black metal growl. Doomchief proves to be an equally uncomfortable listen, but is much steadier, with spoken word vocals filling most of its length. The final minute is much heavier. The drums pound, and jarring vocals regain control.

Throughout the interludial Dreamstate Of The Trochiliformes, more electronica flows towards the closing track Tantra Bandits, a song that is alive with an eerie pulse. Dripping with dissonance, bleak musicianship whips up a dystopian ambience that feels utterly chilling. This is not an album for the faint of heart. We are told that it is destined to be “the soundtrack to a dream of a western world where time is a flat circle and cutthroat realities cement to later break way to an ethereal and occult truth,” and ultimately it is a haunting depiction of this theme. SONORAN REBEL BLACK MAGICK is a project quite unlike anything you have ever heard before, and if you can wrap your head around it’s invasive tone, the experience it offers will prove both eye-opening and unforgettable.

Rating: 8/10

True Western Doom is out now via New Destiny.

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