The One
Guardians Inhuman

LA RECENSIONE

In 2004, Total Holocaust Record decided to release the work of a one-man band from London, The One, a project by Evil Dark alone.

"Guardians inhuman" is a dark, gloomy, oppressive work, but light-years away from doom-black like Dolorian, Nortt, etc., and also from the American school Depressive. Xasthur, Leviathan, Nortt invite you into their parallel universe of suffering and decay, ministers of a pain (more or less felt, more or less real) that grips them and that they want to share with you, champions of resignation. The One does NOT: Evil Dark is a filthy beast that inhabits the sewers of THIS world; sent down there to lick its wounds, it meditates revenge by digging a path through the muck towards the light (which, however, is NEVER glimpsed in the album).

Musically speaking (finally!), the offering, while remaining in the realm of black metal, completely abandons Norwegian riffing, relying on a muddy thrash, played without any technicalities: the comparison that comes to mind is with Morbid of 'December Moon', a band led by Dead before he joined Mayhem; but the vocal performance is different, more morbid, Evil Dark screams, rants, reflects aloud, talks, cackles and wheezes. The underground production particularly highlights the bass; the rhythm section plagues the listener with endless, claustrophobic mid-tempos... the thumping of the bass echoes that of the heart and in more than one instance stops abruptly, like a sonic heart attack.

An album recommended to all those who love dark sensations without necessarily needing a drum barrage at a thousand miles per hour, a vocalist spitting tonsils, and a label of idiots presenting everything as "True Black metal."

(This is my first review so don't be harsh if you read it; I thought it would be interesting to read something about a band about which very little is known..)

PS: the cover is a bit crappy but I didn't draw it!