Peccatum
Strangling From Within

Ihsahn is truly one of the greatest geniuses of extreme music, one of the most skilled and versatile composers and performers on the scene. While he was still leading the now-disbanded Emperor, the Norwegian artist, along with his wife Ihriel and her brother, Lord PZ, created a side-project called Peccatum. The style is interesting, an avant-garde metal that finds its roots in black and classical music, with progressive influences and occasional jazz flair.

The album is not easy to assimilate, the tracks within are not homogeneous, transitioning from genuine black metal outbursts to operatic segments. Initially, these differences between tracks might unsettle the listener, yet they are absolutely essential to impart the album with its originality and the aura of mystery that envelops it. As always, the instrumental parts verge on perfection, both in terms of riffs and solos. The rhythmic instruments don’t miss a beat, but in this album, one must not focus solely on the traditional metal instruments. We encounter pieces for piano, violin, harp, and cello, all played to create a dark and oppressive atmosphere. The sounds of the more modern instruments blend with those of the classical ones, leaving the listener in a limbo between past and future, between the most extreme metal and the oldest classical music. Also, the vocal parts are very peculiar; all members of the band use the microphone, and their voices intertwine and overlap, Ihsahn’s screams, the classically trained voice of his wife, and Lord PZ’s distinctive clean voice (similar at times to Vintersorg's clean voice in my opinion). All these tones combined create a very strange and unique effect, perhaps the album's difficulty in listening comes from this characteristic use of voices which for some may be exciting and epic, while for others might seem a daring combination.

Analyzing the tracks, they are undoubtedly valid from the classical intro to the equally classical closure, yet very particular and different from each other; each of them left me with a strange sensation, a certain sense of disorientation in front of all these ideas from the group. If I have to choose a song that particularly struck me, I would undoubtedly point to "The Song Which No Name Carry", one of the darkest and most unsettling tracks I have ever listened to, where the guitars and keyboards impeccably recreate darkness and fear while Ihsahn's harrowing scream is a true cry of despair (Nothing like Cradle Of Filth). This is an album that needs to be listened to attentively to be understood. I won’t claim to understand it entirely because perhaps it is that very mysteriousness that makes it so captivating.

Truly a good work, for those who crave experimentation and wish to embark on a new journey within music, this is the right album.