(written by Islander)
Today we help pave the way for the return of the Australian black metal band Nontinuum after an extended absence, and so a bit of background may be useful.
They were originally founded in 2010 as a bedroom recording project rooted in atmospheric and depressive black metal, and their debut demo Dwelling In Oceans was released shortly afterward through Misanthropic Art Productions.
Two years later they made their live debut as a full band at Devil’s Arcana Festival and released their first full-length album, The Stars You Gathered, The Stars I Destroyed — and then Nontinuum seemed to disappeared.
More than a decade later, the original line-up reunited for a performance at Essence Festival in 2025 and are now working on the follow-up to The Stars You Gathered, The Stars I Destroyed.
The first sign of their new work is the song we’re premiering today in advance of its September 3 digital release — “As I Leave This Body“.
In materials we’ve received from the band they describe the song as one that perpetuates the atmospheric and melancholic aspects of their previous sound but also draws from wells beyond the conventions of black metal (they make comparative references to Hum and The Smashing Pumpkins, as well as Sólstafir and Drudkh).
The song most definitely makes a striking impression as it announces itself and then changes. It combines pulse-pounding black metal aggression with a knack for mood-altering melodic variations, tapestry-like instrumental textures, and a dynamic energy that dauntingly pulls back as well as frantically drives forward.
When you begin listening you won’t have time for even a quick breath before the drums start hurtling and the riffing begins firing electricity into your nerves. That riffing is a two-toned tempest, vibrantly sparkling in the high end and more slowly heaving and moaning down below, and the vocals match that exhilarating and dire intensity by expelling harrowing, throat-ripping screams.
When the drums decelerate, thumping and popping, those moaning low frequencies assume a more dominant role and pull the music into more dismal and dreadful realms, though the vocals are still scorching. A perniciously sizzling bridge then paves the way into vigorous pounding beats and a frantically throbbing guitar with a striking sonic sheen.
The changes keep coming, both rhythmically and in the emotional timbre of the riffing, which seems to channel despondency and even despair, but also a fiery resilience. Following a scream of frightening duration, a solo guitar reverberates in quivering but mesmerizing fashion. It begins to sound like an expression of intense yearning when the rest of the band join in.
In its final phase the song continues to move in different directions, but ultimately seems to express the hopelessness of damaged souls — though a big part of that impression may be caused by the shattering nature of the vocals, which never relent in their unbounded intensity.
As noted above, this song will release on September 3rd digitally, and Nontinuum tell us they expect a full EP release in January 2027. We’ll be eager to hear that when the time is right. Follow the band’s activities via the links below.
https://nontinuum.bandcamp.com
https://www.facebook.com/nontinuum
https://www.instagram.com/nontinuumband