Karnilapakte & Escumergamënt
Greetings Hinsiders! The work on the second issue of Hinsides Magazine continues to add new and exciting content on a regular basis now and it´s soon time to compete the cycle and go to print! Parts of the material has already been shown here at the blog and this time we give you two newly written reviews and recommendations of what to check in on while it´s still hot;
Enjoy!
Karnilapakte on Lp and Cassette
Karnilapakte
”S/t”
Self-released (2020) Brug-015
Who doesn't like analog and mostly instrumental music that sounds as if it was recorded in a ditch? Well, the answer is of course that most people don´t, but if you too are something of a deranged snob, then maybe this is for you?
Karnilapakte is nothing less but an exciting new project created by the man behind, among others, Wulkanaz and Wagner Ödegård. On this self-titled debut of Karnilapakte, there are of course some musical similarities to the recordings of those other creations. The previously mentioned analog sound with its characteristic imperfections being just two of them. Important ingredients that creates that significant and preciously unique atmosphere you won´t hear anywhere else.
The starting point this time around is somewhat different though. Behind the usually loosely cohesive performance hides a new branch of musical exploration that moves more towards repetitive kraut rock than the hysterical and punkish black metal or the deep space ambient that this sound wizard has became known for prior to this experiment.
A spontaneous outlet, it seems like, that luckily enough provides a just as beautiful and distinctive musical vision as one could ever hope for. Songs like ”En illgärnige” and ”Härdskofuller” are both kind of groovy and obnoxiously restless in a way that otherwise is found mainly among pretentious and horrible pop bands. Here, on the other hand, it sounds more like as if trolls high on mushrooms would be in the mood to make the wilderness even more insecure. In the world of different expressions that this musician masters, Karnilapakte appears as a surprisingly well-balanced middle road where a new path is trodden without losing direction. An astonishing achievement that lasts for many listens.
Available online through Bandcamp and Regain/HelterSkelter Records
Escumergamënt
”...ni degu fazentz escumergamënt e mesorga...”
Avantgarde Records (2021) AV409
Last year, the infamous Black-Metal act Armagedda did a unsuspected comeback and gave us a surprisingly strong new recording that seemed to come out of nowhere. A poorly announced album that successfully combined the second wave's dedication and raw expression with a somewhat contemporary mindset present. Now there´s another band appearing at the dark horizon with a similar ambition. Escumergamënt is the name of this newborn orchestra and you do not need much time in company with their oddly named debut Lp before you know that this band is on a mission to restore the concepts of both taste and integrity.
The opening track ”Of old night and Winter” shows right from the beginning of this maiden voyage that Escumergamënt possesses the building blocks needed to create something that lasts longer than the average release these days. Blocks that were carved out more than two decades ago but which still does the trick in the hands of those knowledgable and skilled in the craft. With this said, it´s obvious that Escumergamënt owes a lot to its predecessors such as Ved Buens Ende, Arcturus and Fleurety. What makes the band stand out in the scene today is that the level of both songwriting and performance is beyond most of their contemporary rivals. It should however be known that the six songs presented here never gets complicated just for the sake of being tricky.
Despite the progressive elements there´s a nice flow in the structures of the songs that makes their respective story quite easy to follow. The album does well in its mission to recreate the desirable but elusive ”it” that so few acts of today are capable of capturing. In addition to this there´s also a few extra flavors added to the pallete in order to make justice to the artistic vision. The basic classic rock-setting of instruments are in good company of both keyboards and different experiments with sounds that keeps the listeners attention alive throughout the whole experience.
With ”...ni degu fazentz escumergamënt e mesorga...” Escumergamënt has introduced itself as a mediator of sinister dark tales told in a nostalgic yet forward thinking fashion and this album shows clearly that the black flame still burns if you know where to look. An extraordinary debut with enough ambience and hidden messages to discover to keep you busy for a stretched while. Well done!
Available on both Cd and Lp through Bandcamp or the web store of the label.
The members of Escumergamënt
These texts are to be featured in the review section of Hinsides Magazine #2 together with legitible verdicts of different kinds of art and literature.
A few ex of H.M #1 are still available here at the shop section of our site. Act fast if you want one!