Style: raw black metal
Primary Emotions/Themes: murder, death, the extinction of life
Thoughts: Pa Vesh En. A band that I happened on by chance a few years ago. I liked the cover of Maniac Manifest so I decided to give it a shot. I don't think a singular newish black metal band has had a more profound effect on me than this one man project.
Church of Bones is the debut full length from the project, and man the consistency is incredible. The parts of the band that I loved in the past are present here in the early stages as well. The production is dark and muddied... it sounds like it was recorded over a pay phone on a Fisher Price tape player.
The music is obscured by this production. You have to dig in deep to hear the details of the individual instruments. They are shrouded in mystery, have an air of disdain and reek of death. The vocals are not as much in a typical black metal style as they are a howling banshee. They are obscured further by the constant booming and wailing of the percussion. The bass and snare drum alternate to create a constant state of unease with their dissonance. The drums are harsh match the intensity of the music perfectly.
That leaves the riffs. The riffs are the heart and soul of the album. They are not as much individualistic notes as they are a constant whirling of unease and anxiety. They progress slowly and interplay with the drums and vocals in ways that further drive the music into madness.
The whole concept of Church of Bones is one of harnessing the inner fear of man. To explore that which most people shun. The music makes us face parts of our humanity that is less than savory, yet they still exist. Pa Vesh En does not shy away from this... rather they embrace it and in doing so force us to take a very harsh look into the proverbial mirror. What do you see? Listen to Church of Bones and see what lies within.
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