Review Summary: A beautiful, coagulating mess.
Masterfully blending the intensity of black metal with atmospheric ambience, Xothist have discovered a formula that yields fantastic results, although an ephemeral listening experience may lead to an opposing conclusion. Drenched in thick, abrasive distortion, the predominant assault of
Simulacrum’s sound may indeed be off-putting at first, particularly for listeners who are unfamiliar with the grating nature of noise-influenced black metal. On top of that, the duration of these attacks might also make this a hard pill to swallow. The album itself contains only two tracks, entitled ‘Side A’ and ‘Side B’; both approach 20 minutes in length. Xothist dedicate the majority of this time to tearing the inner-tissue of your ear; however, this isn’t simply mindless violence. There’s a pervading feeling of depression throughout the album, clearly exhibited through the haze of the distortion and further established during the quieter, heavily ambient moments of the album.
Instrumentally, the guitars reign as the dominant force, partially due to the interesting riffs and chord patterns played on both sides, but mostly due to the fact that the vocals and drumming aren’t as high in the mix. The bass guitar, as usual, suffers the most from the rough production, barely audible in even the softer moments. In this regard, the main element that sets
Simulacrum back is that Xothist haven’t
quite managed to find a balance that caters to their instrumentation while still managing to achieve the sound they are after. The vocals are wholly incomprehensible and serve mostly as an effective atmospheric contribution to the album. On the other hand, the drumming is quite effective, working in coalition with the guitar to create the main body of music while the vocals act as a vessel of distortion. It’s in the lethargic, distortion free passages where the true malevolence and eeriness of the band comes into being. The aural equivalent of wandering through an unfamiliar forested area at dusk, these passages seem to prolong the unsettling feeling, feeding the suspense until the true horrors of the climaxes are revealed. Amidst the carnage a sense of hopelessness slices through the aggression; the listener is little more than dust and amber leaves in Xothist’s hurricane gale. Whether or not this approach grips you and pulls you further into the fray, or instead alienates you from your surroundings as you’re sent tumbling through once-familiar territory to the point of disorientation,
Simulacrum is a white-knuckled ride directly into Xothist’s territory. Let the static of a thousand broken televisions, hostile black metal instrumentation and haunting ambient pieces smother you; you’ll be glad you did.
