Wrest's one-man black metal project's sixth total
release offers another compilation of excellent black metal. The material
on Shadow of No Light is slower and thicker with atmosphere than
Misanthropic Necro Blasphemy.
Like the fourth (overall) Leviathan album reviewed
above, Shadow of No Light was entirely recorded in Wrest's apartment
on a four track. Like Misanthropic Necro Blasphemy, this factor
will make the material sound especially satisfying to black metal purists.
In fact, the recording on this album turned out better than it did on
the first one, so you won't have to crank up the volume on your stereo
to properly hear the songs.
Wrest employs an interesting vocal effect on this
tape. The result is a slightly industrial one that strongly reminds of
Burzum's Filosofem, but sometimes delving very low, and producing
a drippy, croaking sound. This last particular effect kicks in when the
music takes on its more ambient tones. The result sounds great. The vocal
effect is used on all but the title track, where the vocals at the beginning
are presented in an over-the-top yet never-the-less chilling, cavernous
bellow.
As the black metal here is on the slow side, there
very few blast beats. Wrest continues to present us with tasty drumming
and interesting riffs. One song is a full on Celtic Frost tribute. The
next song features a riff that strongly reminds of a section on the opening
song of Enslaved's Eld, "793 (Slaget Om Lindisfarne)."
Heavy, while being very black; introspectively morbid,
while having a rocking edge, Shadow of No Light is a black metal
album worth getting.
