Review Summary: Things can get pretty bleak, things tend to get suicidal
There’s something to be said about the whole suicidal black metal genre. Firstly, for those who would like to point out that the black metal genre itself isn’t the happiest of genres and adding a “suicidal” tag may just be pointless, need to recognise a couple of things. This isn’t your conventional Burzum, Marduk or Mayhem; instead it’s a brand of metal that conveys deep emotion, torment, anguish, pain and suffering without matching the stereotypes of the funeral doom genre. One noticeable difference is that the tracks’ tempos remain relatively upbeat. The other, well the music implies you may just want to hang yourself, especially considering just how dark the overall context backed by some of the bleakest music the metal genre has ever heard as a whole. In a series of releases (even those as EP’s) Starless Night present,
The Depression Lingers V - The Final Chapter…. An album, originally released as a single track entity, then with the inclusion of a bonus track delves into some of the darkest points in human nature. The result is ultimately beautiful, taking the typical aesthetics of the genre and pushing them to a point where the listener can’t help but feel the pain and torment through their speakers. In case it hasn’t already been surmised, the music is raw, depressive deliberately grating – and that’s only the beginning.
There is a depth to
The Depression Lingers V - The Final Chapter…, it’s not all poorly produced and as raw as one might think. There’s actually an integral melody shaping that transcends the music, floating through it, above it and around it. More often than not it harmonises with the constant plodding tempo passages, making a huge yet subtle difference to the album blending the usual harshness of the genre with contrasting smooth flowing melody. Instead of focusing completely on the dank, dark harsh soundscapes, the music is balanced complementing each separate part of the tracks. Starless Night isn’t your normal black metal act, but at the same time the same basic fundamentals are still there. Instrumentally, everything is top notch but far from mind blowing. Simply, each and every section has its place without overriding the next source of sound. This two piece band from Florida maintains the highest of suicidal black metal standards by defining just what the best of the genre is. Make no mistake, especially with the rawness of the production,
The Depression Lingers V - The Final Chapter… doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best of the genre, but for what it is, it’s fantastic building on the grounds of despair, depression, misanthropy and suffering.
At the record’s completion, it’s clear that this is a magnificent piece. With a run time of just over forty minutes, this two tracked album never outstays it welcome making the most of the time it takes. When compared to the rest of the series in the same name sake, Starless Night adds to the next chapter in the best possible way. This record adds to the overall shaping of the
The Depression Lingers story. It’s great that an album built off such negative attributes can culminate in a way that comes off in sheer beauty transcending the actual tones of the music. The tracks on this album may not be anything out of the ordinary for the genre, but they do share a certain primal interest relevant to the listener. Starless Night is great at writing the soundtrack to your worse, darkest moods.
