Ensoph
Project X-katon

We are faced with a highly experimental band, distinct from the mass of clones and emulators that plague the global metal scene. We are faced with an enigmatic and convoluted entity. We are faced with Ensoph. I had the pleasure (and for some, it may have been a displeasure) of introducing this musical reality to those who were unaware of it through my first review, related to their 2004 release "Opus Dementiae." In 2006, their third album "Project X-katon" arrived.

The album brings changes to the sound pursued in the previous chapter: the rhythms are more direct and assimilable, the screaming is slightly set aside to favor a repertoire of clean vocals, and finally, one notes an improvement in technique. It sounds quite different from "Opus Dementiae" and the melody is more pronounced compared to the sporadic black harshnesses.

"Progetto Eschaton (the End Project, the Apocalypse)" opens, a track in which oriental instruments accompany, along with electronic effects, a male voice chanting to freedom (the motto "In the name of freedom" is repeated multiple times at the end of the brief intro). It truly starts with "Condemned (In The Penal Colony)" - as I can understand from the title, inspired by Kafka's "In the Penal Colony" - introduced by electronic effects and flutes that are soon joined by the rest of the instrumentation. The change is immediately noticeable. More accented and dynamic rhythms, and greater listenability with N-Ikonoclast's voice always recognizable and theatrical as usual. As tradition, various electro-industrial inserts accompany and alternate with the metal part of Ensoph's personal sound. "Kirillow's Bullet" follows, the first of three songs referring to emblematic characters from 19th-century Russian literature. The track is characterized by a particularly melodic and catchy chorus, which immediately sticks in your mind. As always, restless electro backdrops accompany the entire composition. At its end, N-Ikonoclast's devastating screams bid farewell to the listener, who is immediately greeted by "D-Generation," a more aggressive and decidedly enjoyable song than the previous one. Here, also appears a splendid female voice. It's Antonella Buosi, vocalist of Scarecrown, another band from the Italian underground (specifically, the Veneto-Trentino one).

Masterful work by the instrumentalists for one of the best tracks on the album. "Icons In The Dust" proves to be another beautiful composition, powerful, emotional, with a spine-tingling chorus featuring N-Ikonoclast's fantastic clean vocals. Then comes a haunting, strange, mystical track. It's "Un Petalo di Pietà," a totally Italian-sung industrial composition (as with the disturbing "Salmo A Nessuno" from the previous album). As traditional, the lyrical themes have references to philosophical, occult, religious, and biblical leanings, all floating in a fatal, mystical, and tomb-like aura. The theatricality is what characterizes this composition the most, strikingly impactful for its intricate and industrial sounds. The "normality" returns with "Getsemani" (definitely a step below what has been proposed so far), always teetering between melody and musical harshness. The album moves forward quite pleasantly, passing through "The Source Becomes Desert," "Holy Bleeds," and "Pain, Pride & Regrets," until reaching the penultimate track (actually, the last true song), "Leaving No Trace Behind," one of the best. Once again, the collaboration with Antonella contributes to giving greater impact to the composition. Electro interludes punctuate the alternation of the beautiful and somewhat melancholic melodies. As usual, the chorus is impactful and immediately etches itself into memory. The "Apocalypse" closes with an unsettling and industrial "In The Name Of Freedom (Reprise)," which leaves glimpses, amidst the dust of destruction, of the debris of Creation.

Worth mentioning is the collaboration with the guitarist from Novembre (who also performed the solo in "The Source Becomes Desert") and with Steve Sylvester from Death SS, with whom Ensoph produced an EP included in the digipack version of the album, titled "The Seductive Dwarf EP" where the band performs, with Steve on vocals, a cover of Soft Cell's "Sex Dwarf" (the ones from "Tainted Love," just to be clear) and a new version of "Sun of the Liar," one of the standout compositions from the previous album.

"Project X-katon" may be a bit below the levels of "Opus Dementiae" (in my modest opinion; the effective rating would be 3.5), with perhaps less sound "craziness," but still a pleasurable album, recommended for those with no mental barriers regarding music and for those who want to try something different and surely original. Enjoy it while waiting for the new "Rex Mundi X-ile," apparently set for release in early 2009.

"Ego sum Via, Vita et Veritas"