In the wake of Larvae, which was released earlier last year, it seems that the constant touring and otherwise lack of recordings from Sutekh Hexen has treated them well, allowing Kevin Gan Yuen and Andy Way to experiment further with live electronic sound and extensive textures, manifesting in the massive Become. A two-part experiment in long-form, droning, blackened ambiance, Become shows Sutekh Hexen taking a breather from their usual brand of non-stop, metallic walls, giving way to a more dynamic approach which lends to them rather nicely. It would seem that the "cheese grater to the ear" approach found on the demo trilogy and Luciform is a thing of the past, instead replaced by subtly shifting textures, crawling, distant drones, and the occasional, much more powerful black metal blast. The interplay between Gan Yuen's bizarre riffing and Way's extensive electronics wizardry is at its most cohesive, feeding off of each other in a way which only truly comes from the aforementioned live experimenting, rather than studio magic. This EP ebbs and flows in waves of cleansing white noise, scrubbing away at endless layers of filth and exposing light.
B-side "The Face: The Void" opens with a monstrous, doomed black metal riff, fleshed out with bouts of noise and harsh vocals. In the distance lies a muscled pulse, a rarity in Sutekh Hexen's discography, pushing the nightmarish being forward. As this faceless void lurches on, it devolves even further into abstraction, taking on characteristics of harsh noise, cavernous drone, and shimmering guitar ambiance. It's quite striking, really, and a tour de force of Sutekh Hexen's ever-gaining momentum and maturity. Brilliant darkness.
Become is currently available for pre-order from King of the Monsters Records. Alongside the standalone LP are two different gold LP die-hard editions, one containing a slipmat, and the other including both the slipmat and two shirts. This is cool.
-Jon
Editor's Note: Yeah, there's some drama going on with Sutekh Hexen. Whatever. Pick your side and keep it to yourself like I did. Black metal isn't about friendship, anyway.
Readers Note:
ReplyDeleteDrama is one thing, but STEALING music is something else entirely.
I don't care what Kevin and the rest of this band pretend to put out as "orginial content". Isn't this just another album of songs recollected other albums? I don't care who they have playing over old material. When the fuck are they going to release new material? Kevin Yuen is a hack and still somehow believes he's connected to the original vision of Sutekh Hexen.. which at this point is in fact just a rehash of Fermentae...
Plagiarism is Plagiarism, no matter how you fucking cut it. You spent three paragraphs kissing Kevin's asshole and only three sentences vaguely reviewing this album. No matter how you try to cut this, if you listen to this bullshit release, you are as big of an idiot as this guy and "Sutekh Hexen".
Alls I did was write a review based on what I heard. Objectivity is key, otherwise everyone would hate every black metal band ever. It IS possible to separate the music from the person, after all, especially if you believe in that "transcendent" bullshit.
DeletePlus, you're leaving a comment under a pseudonym on a review of the album. Any chance you'd have the gaul to say that stuff to the artists themselves? You're no better than Michael Moore whenever he yells at Wal Mart employees for selling bullets. I'm just doing my job. lol.
Peace and love,
Jon Rosenthal
PS Come fight me.
Somebody take that first guy out for ice-cream and a hug! Sheesh.
DeleteKevin did just publicly admit to plagiarizing the tracks under Monument of Decay on the Sutekh website. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot!
DeleteAnother great example of your inability to review anything correctly.. including these comments. Who the fuck was talking about transcendence with you? I wasn't. If this is your "job" as you so poiently put it(which my god, you sound like a compete twat for stating that) you are quite terrible at it. These blogs are free in America, am I correct?
ReplyDeleteYou do know with insane retorts such as these you come across as nothing more than a child with bi-polar disorder, yeah? Which is it lad.. did you want me to fuck you or fight you? Rather than offering anything of substance in response to legitimate criticism of your lack of ethics and poor journalism went after me personally. Your overall ignorance to the genres you review is amusing, at best. May I suggest you listen to music outside of the circle of retards looking for you to kiss their ass...and visa versa.
Otherwise, you just come across as an ignorant tourist.
Which, with the sides you pick (or is it "assholes you lick"? I'm not quite sure), you most certainly are.
Despite this being an "anonymous" email, whatever the fuck that means, you can still contact me through it when your Shitty Buttholes goes on tour through Euroupe, I'll make sure they know how we treat poseurs on this side of the pond. Did you want my real full name so you can bad mouth me on other forums/facebook/twatter? Not going to happen. It's sad that you stick up for any band this much; I thought you were here to write legitimate reviews.
"When legitimate criticism is dismissed as "shit talking" and the critic is attacked for things that have zero bearing on their writing it creates an environment where honest criticism cannot breathe. When you're working for the bands you're supposed to be covering you can't provide 100% honest commentary on their output (In battle there is no law, in hack journalism there is no review below a 7.5). All that bullshit fosters a culture of mediocrity, both in writing and music. "
Man, you're really mad. It's just music. Lol.
Delete"y do u liek thing i dun liek u r rong n i h8 u"
DeleteA thought: https://sphotos-a-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/63561_519525421418819_232832767_n.png
I like this blog but damn this staff writer is a dumb asshole.
ReplyDelete