Sunken - Livslede

 

Now this is a good one. In a post post-black metal underground, the genre has started to take off in interesting new directions. On the one hand you have bands going back to orthodoxy, and others going far beyond post-black metal and instead embracing post-rock. Then you have groups like Sunken - who bring in post-black metal as part of their schtick, but fuse it with more traditional takes on the genre. It's an interesting sound, and on their new record, Delirium they execute very eloquently on some of these core ideas. 

Sunken could be accused of being a bit all over the map on this one, but really the more time I spend with this record the more it feels like they are a truly uniquely talented band. The simple poetry of the title track is met with the elegant sorrow of 'Dodslaengsel.' The record delves into a variety of themes, from self hate to anxiety and hopelessness, but it does it in a way that feels intensely personal. The tormented shrieks that ride on top of the mix are wonderfully executed, really providing a portal into the artists soul. This is a really fascinating record that borrows from several sides of the tradition, the bands ability to blend these ideas makes for delectable listening. 

As a general rule, Vendetta Records puts out some top tier black metal. This record leans deep into some of the more exciting concepts behind the record and seems to continually push the band ever further. While sometimes the breadth of the sound is a bit too much and works against them, broadly speaking this is an excellent offering. The production is on point and the overall delivery wonderful. There is a lot of internal torment documented here and it's a pleasure to embrace the madness that Delirium conjures up time and time again. 

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