(Our contributor Vonlughlio hereby proves that he does listen to varieties of metal other than Brutal Death, and here he recommends the debut album by the Seattle-based black metal band Irksvm.)
Today’s subject is the black metal project Irksvm from Seattle, Washington, whose debut album Moribund was released via Vargheist Records this past August 30th.
As some of you dear readers might know, Brutal Death Metal is one of my favorite genres and I tend to concentrate my write-ups on bands in that realm, since others here at NCS do a fine job covering all the other genres. But from time to time I do review bands who are not BDM and have made an impact on me, as Irksvm did.
For this particular case, I was not familiar with their music, but became really impressed by how good this offering is. The mastermind behind this band is Duncan Mccue (Doctor Professor, Incestuous Impregnation, Marburg) who does all instruments and vocals.
As I mentioned, this is black metal, but with progressive tendencies (at least as I hear it) in how the songs are structured and the changes that occur in some sections that really work well when the vocals change from harsh to clean. The production allows for the instruments to have lives of their own and come together and enhance the listener’s experience is this cold and mysterious release.
It is very clear for me that the level of musicianship on display is top-notch, and that Mccue took his time to create these 10 chapters, which cohesively mark a story of life’s emotions through melancholy, loss, despair, and to some extent hope.
The songs range from three minutes to eight minutes, with changes that make them unique but also tie them together in the transition from one to the next. It’s an album that you need to sit with and relax to get an experience that for me is very comfortable and engrossing, appreciating the music as it maintains you in concentration. The artwork is simple and yet accurately reflects what you are going to hear, which is something that adds to the overall feel of the product.
The guitars and bass are heroes in their own right, as the performances are diverse and drive the overall structure, while the drums are handled with precision and feed off the riff department. As for the vocals, as mentioned I love the beautifully timed shifts from harsh to clean in specific sections of the songs.
Overall, all I knew about this release going into it was that it was Black Metal, but at the end it made me a fan, appreciating the hard work and thought that went into the compositions. I hope you give this project a listen in the hope that you will like it, too. Below is a full stream of the album and links where you can learn more about the album and the band.
BANDCAMP:
https://vargheistrecords.bandcamp.com/album/irksvm-moribund
FACEBOOK:
https://www.facebook.com/irksvm/