EP REVIEW: Consecrationem – Kenosis
Dutch black metallers KENOSIS may have only been around for little over two years, but they have already managed to make a small, yet noticeable mark on the overall black metal scene in their homeland. This comes in the form of their debut EP, Consecrationem, which first saw the light of day just over a year ago. It’s a great record that blends sharp and acerbic black metal with a dense and palpable atmosphere, and showcases plenty of musical originality right off the bat, which sets this EP apart from a see of other black metal bands with ease.
Solifugae acts as a brief, atmospheric opener that helps to set the tone for the next three songs. It’s a dark and foreboding piece of music, built around ambience, and leads into the first full track, Abraham’s Dagger, really well. This first song is a whirlwind of cacophonous, haunting guitar riffs and crashing, chaotic drumming that is dripping with venom and intensity throughout. The music is a fast and furious blaze of visceral musicianship, all topped off with some acerbic vocals that, ranging between shrill shrieks and onerous chanting, add even further to the darkness and ferocity on offer. It’s an impressive, aggressive slab of caustic black metal with plenty of razor sharp, grating melodies that raises the bar significantly.
Kathrarsis, in contrast to the speed driven fury that marked the track before it, is a relatively measured and dirge-like affair, which manages to match the grimness of Abraham’s Dagger despite its reduced tempo. With this song being an instrumental piece, it always the music to take centre stage and provide the sole focus for the listener, with some vast, monolithic guitar parts, primal, primitive drumming and a palpable, oppressive atmosphere, it’s incredibly hard not to get drawn into this, as the music has a great, hypnotic feel that is entirely engrossing from start to finish.
The fourth and final track, With Open Veins, is yet another excellent piece of vicious, atmosphere based black metal which does a brilliant job of taking the best aspects of the sound and style of the last two songs and bringing them together. Dark atmospherics underpin the sound of this song, making for a much more robust and epic sound, with some inspired guitar work that shifts from tight, jarring melodies to far more expansive, fuller sounding chords. The drumming as well is particularly intricate and precise on this song, and , as with the guitars, feature some of the best performances on the whole record. The vocals are delivered as an acidic roar that provides a lot of depth to a song that already sounds huge from the outset. It’s an amazing way to close this EP, and leaves listeners wanting to hear more.
Consecrationem is a brief, yet brilliant, collection of songs that are well written, memorable and manage to fit a large amount of ideas into a relatively short length of time. At twenty minutes long, it doesn’t outstay it’s welcome, and does a great job of blending sharp and imaginative musicianship with a cold and sepulchral atmosphere. Considering this is KENOSIS‘s first EP, it’s clear that they have already begun to form their own musical identity, something which is particularly impressive, when most bands need at least two or three records behind them before they begin to find their musical voice and preferred style. It’s an excellent debut record that is well worth checking out, especially if you like your black metal sublime as well as sadistic.
Rating: 9/10
Consecrationem is out now via Prosthetic Records.
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