Review Summary: Some of the best depressive BM has to offer.
Make a Change…Kill Yourself is a depressive/ambient black metal band from Denmark comprised of two members: Lyricist Nattetale, and Ynleborgaz, who does all of the instrumentation and vocals. Nattetale’s lyrical themes on the album explore pessimism, suicide and despair, while Ynleborgaz’s musical performance follows the depressive black metal template of droning guitars, repetitive drumming, and vocals that sound like shrieks of torment from a medieval torture chamber.
MAC…KYS’s sophomore album is a forty-three minute long whirlwind of some of the most emotionally jam-packed black metal you will ever hear in your life. Even with only two tracks on a full length LP, this album stops itself from becoming boring or overly self-indulgent with beautiful ambient interludes and spot-on instrumentation that complements the unique vocal work found all throughout. The first track, “Life Revisited,” is a twenty-four minute piece that introduces you to the band’s sound perfectly. It opens with an ambient background that picks up a simple piano piece that lasts until the about three minute mark, when a simple drum beat and droning guitars wail their way into the song, kicking the piano out and introducing Ynleborgaz’s harsh vocals that really gives the music the depressive sound it’s aiming for. Thirteen minutes in throws the listener into a serene interlude with the guitars strumming a simple melody, devoid of drums with the vocals really standing out above all else, especially once the chanting starts. After a few minutes of the same, the song returns to the repetitive drums and raspy vocals playing over the wall of wailing guitars until the final three minutes of the track, which takes the listener back to the ambient intro with the keys into a fade-out.
The final track, “Fooling the Weak,” instantly throws the listener into a storm of drums and guitars with the same vocals. There’s more variation in the guitar and drum parts here than in the previous track, making for a more engaging experience. At the album’s twenty-eight minute mark, deep spoken vocals replace the drums and speak over a wave of noise made by guitar for a couple minutes before returning to the harsh singing and dynamic drumming. The same change occurs once more at the thirty-two minute mark, lasts for a few minutes and once again returns to a vigorous beatdown of dark instrumentation and howling vocals that any black metal fan should love. The last minute or so of the album replaces the usual vocals with chants, dropping the drums and guitars into an epic album closer.
Make a Change…Kill Yourself really shows their musical progression and maturity from their debut album to this one, making a bleaker album with more of a unique feeling to it. For fans of depressive black metal, or any type of depressive music, this album is a mandatory listen.
