If you’ve had the good fortune of traveling to Washington, it’s probably obvious why the state generates so many fantastic black metal bands.
A drive across any of the many passes slicing through the Cascade or Olympic ranges transports you through the towering, mist-enshrouded mountains of black metal legend. The woods here are dark and unconquered. The clouds hang low half of the year, choking out the sunlight, smothering the peaks with snow and the lowlands with rain. Cold ocean and Arctic winds usher in storms and flooding. In the summer, the wildflower-laden meadows bloom and the forests breathe, inviting voyagers to explore with caution and witness the cycle reborn.
The actual sounds of Pacific Northwest black metal, inspired by those surroundings, need little introduction. You can certainly hear the influence of Pacific Northwest black mettalers’ penchant for the atmospheric on the debut demo from Inner Cloister. That’s no surprise considering one half of the two-piece outfit is a member of Seattle’s Hissing. While short, Inner Cloister’s demo provides an excellent slice of writhing, dread-invoking lo-fi black metal.
This fuzzy, spaced-out offering heavily features the tortured wails of DSBM over guitars that alternate between off-kilter reverbed picking, scathing tremolos and galloping riffage. It conjures images of cloaked esoterics winding their way towards a mountain cave, or lifting their withered hands over a grand fjord at night. The disorienting riffs spiral on and on, bleeding in and out, gaining intensity and distortion, backed by varying degrees of drumming while subtly changing and transforming through its runtime.
The two tracks featured here flow seamlessly into each other by way of a hypnotic, carnival-esque wandering lead. Tormented screams, yelps and chirps that are at times genuinely unnerving fill the air and compliment the musical palate perfectly.
Despite its short length, I had to listen to this many times to really grasp the whole. It’s easy to let the fuzzy riffs wash over you, which makes paying attention to what’s happening difficult. And that’s not a bad thing. This album aims to mesmerize listeners and completely succeeds.
My main complaint with this demo is its runtime. I would have loved to hear another song, even if it ended up being a bit shorter. Who knows though, that may have bumped it into EP territory. And it is of course a demo.
Two-track releases also seem to be a favorite format for their almost comically cryptic Washington-centric label, Cestrum Nocturnum Recordings, which touts the tagline “CNR does not accept submissions. We will speak, and you will listen.” The label has put out a few other excellent lo-fi black metal and ambient releases that seem intent on channeling esoteric dread to the listener.
On the whole this is a short outing that delivers on its promise of making “creeping, otherworldly lo-fi black metal.” If that sounds like something you’d like, it’s well worth the 14 minutes to give it a listen.
