Shining
III: Angst, Självdestruktivitetens Emissarie

"Angst III - Sjalvdestruktivitetens Emissarie" is the third chapter of Niklas Kvarforth's creation, Shining. An album that I found, from the very first listens, to be very well orchestrated both in terms of production and songwriting. Shining are considered one of the best and most representative bands of the suicidal and depressive movement. I admit that until a few weeks ago I had never heard of them, having only recently become interested in this type of sound, but I must admit that after listening to this album I could only join the enthusiastic reviews from critics and the positive comments from listeners of the genre.

First of all, a truly flawless production, with a special mention for the dark and tenebrous sounds chosen for the bass, which is audible throughout the entire album and truly leaden during the most claustrophobic and mournful instrumental parts. Hellhammer's drumming is truly excellent; his touch undoubtedly adds something extra in terms of feeling. Centered on sulphurous mid-tempos that are quite simple and direct, he manages to give the album more immediacy thanks to his continuous work on cymbals and his changes in register within each track. As for the vocals, they reminded me a lot of Attila Csihar's (blasphemy?), it might be a mistake, but they are filled with that dark malevolence that I also found in Mayhem's masterpiece "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas."

In short, we are faced with very raw and low-tone vocals that give an esoteric and depressive aura to the group's entire soundscape, a choice that I find perfect and undoubtedly classy. I will not linger on sterile track-by-track reviews; the song that struck and excited me the most is "Sjalvdestruktivitetens Emissarie," probably the fastest of the lot, composed of a luciferian burst of double bass drumming with screams from Kvarforth like in an occult ceremony, which then give way to delicately psychedelic and depressive sounds. Truly melancholic clean guitar arpeggios that lead into the more recitative and subdued part of the vocals, a quiet lament made of hatred and sadness; the audible sensations in this part are truly extreme and miserable. Credit must be given to Shining for fully succeeding in their intent without ever descending into ridiculous solutions but also keeping the authentic side of their proposal in mind.

The work done on the guitar riffs is excellent too, with all very well played and embedded in very decadent and doom-oriented structures, such as in "Fields Of Faceless" the sixth and last track, a distorted guitar intro that flows into a damnedly inspired black-doom riff. It's right here that, in my opinion, Kvaforth's voice reaches its peak of theatricality and sonic decay, a masterpiece of extreme art that never tires, even after repeated listens. Shining have passed the first listening test, and I will soon seek out the other chapters of their discography, hoping they are a vehicle for extremely negative sensations just as I found in this third masterpiece.

Extreme-Suicidal-Black-Doom at its be(a)st..