Lustmord - Metavoid (2001)

Lustmord has been around for years producing some of the darkest demonic music around. This album and Purifying Fire aren't as extreme as some of Lustmord's works but will give some idea as to what he is about. 'The Ambivalent Abyss' hints at the horrors of the deep but could just as well be describing some of the less pleasant regions of space where pure evil lurks. Wondrous thick sounds come in waves decaying to almost silence. Occasionally we get muffled explosions and heavily distorted alien utterances. This is wonderful spooky / cosmic stuff which gradually becomes more sinister as the track progresses. Epic almost orchestral pads swell as the alien 'speech' becomes more prominent. In the ninth minute things become calmer punctuated by a few plucked strings then we get ominous human vocal chatter to which there is some sort of alien response.

Deep crashing sounds can again be heard - then silence. More distorted echoing speech is followed by vast dark waves of sound. The atmosphere is so thick you could cut it. 'Blood Deep in Dread' (don't you just love these titles?) begins with a bubbling cauldron of sounds, thick gloops, wind effects and disturbing bird noises. A deep bass drum beats out, as if accompanying some funeral procession - it's a little like one of Jim Kirkwood's more atmospheric moments. A slow percussive loop joins it. We descend to silence followed by rumbles and slight touches of synth colour before the rhythm starts up again. Apparently the track also features Steve Roach on Bullroarer. Speaking of 'guests' the next track 'The Eliminating Angel' is a joint composition with Paul Haslinger. This is much more like his Coma Virus stuff or even work with Lightwave than his more upbeat World Without Rules material. Dark sighing drones mix with more clanging effects, like the slamming of doors echoing into the distance. In the third minute we return to the funereal procession feel of the previous number.

Strange noises and effects increase the feeling of dread as does the malevolent deep breathing of some creature or entity. More percussive / rhythmic loops enter, the image being of a raiding party hurtling down a hill- in other words again very Kirkwoodian. 'Oblivion' features haunting ethnic flute where single tones are hard blown and left to decay. These disappear and distant explosions take over. There are then some processed Gregorian chants. The flute returns along with metallic percussive effects- very moody. Deep explosive rumbles continue right until the end. Paul Haslinger is again featured on 'The Outer Shadow'. A shuffling rhythm acts as a backdrop to some sighing chants. Shamanic rituals come to mind. The rhythm now becomes more prominent and crashing until all disappears into silence with running water effects just before the end. Faint sounds of some lost souls can just be heard in the distance giving 'Infinite Domain' a slightly spooky start. We then get more odd percussive / rhythmic effects to which looped drum sounds are added creating quite a groove.

Things are then stripped down returning to percussive clangs / rumbles before getting back to its full syncopated thrust. Its actually quite intense but also accessible at the same time. Most of the sounds used are fairly unique. 'A Light that is Darkness' is even more rhythmically powerful than its predecessor. Orchestral pads and demonic growls adding to the excitement still further. This is wonderful edge of the seat stuff. It makes you want to pick up a mallet and clobber anything in sight. All then descends into soft but dark synth drones for the final few moments. 'Insignificance' contains yet more of the distant explosions / rumbles. A melancholy cello like lead line weaves a lonesome spell. Eventually we subside to solar wind type drones and the CD finishes. I think this album would be liked by most Kirkwood fans as it 'feels' very similar though without Jim's sequencer blasts.

TRACKS
01.The Ambient Abyss 12:14
02.Blood Deep In Dread 07:55
03.The Eliminating Angel 11:46
04.Oblivion 06:36
05.The Outer Shadow 06:44
06.Infinite Domain 08:28
07.A Light That Is Darkness 04:54
08.Insignificance 05:01