Imperceptum Archives - NO CLEAN SINGING

AN NCS ALBUM PREMIERE (AND A REVIEW): IMPERCEPTUM — “ENTITY OF UNDEAD STARS”

May 012020

So far, the German band Imperceptum has released two EPs and four albums. We’ve reviewed nearly all of them. At the risk of oversimplifying the experience of these releases, its creator (who calls himself Void) combines elements of atmospheric black metal, funeral doom, ambient music, and post-metal to create long, void-faring journeys that are both terrifying and beautiful.

To borrow again from what I’ve written elsewhere, the richly textured music moves from immense hurricanes of cataclysmic fury to slower, earth-shattering, and crushingly bleak expositions of doom, to illuminating drifts through astral planes or across the yawning maw of deep space. Sweeping and soaring movements of vast and alien grandeur are juxtaposed against harrowing, blood-freezing storms of shock and awe. All of the releases are immersive; the songs are long, but the spells they weave, both nightmarish and sublime, make the minutes seem to pass without any consciousness that time is passing.

And now Imperceptum is releasing another album, and we again are in the fortunate position of presenting it on the day of its release (a good day, because Bandcamp is once again foregoing its revenue share for purchases made today). This new album is entitled Entity of Undead Stars. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: IMPERCEPTUM — “LIGHTDEVOURER”

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Jun 262018

So far, the German band Imperceptum has released two EPs and three albums. I’ve reviewed all of them excerpt the first EP. At the risk of oversimplifying the experience of these releases, its creator (who calls himself Void) combines elements of atmospheric black metal, funeral doom, ambient music, and post-metal to create long, void-faring journeys that are both terrifying and beautiful.

To borrow from what I’ve written elsewhere, the richly textured music moves from immense hurricanes of cataclysmic fury to slower, earth-shattering, and crushingly bleak expositions of doom, to illuminating drifts through astral planes or across the yawning maw of deep space. Sweeping and soaring movements of vast and alien grandeur are juxtaposed against harrowing, blood-freezing storms of shock and awe. All of the releases are immersive; the songs are long, but for this listener the minutes seem to pass without any consciousness that time is passing.

And so I’m very happy to report that Imperceptum will be releasing a new album at the end of June or early July. Entitled Heart of Darkness, it will consist of four tracks and about an hour of music, and today we present the second of those tracks, “Lightdevourer“. Continue reading »

AN NCS PREMIERE: ABOMINATIONS — “INVASION OF UNEARTHLY BEINGS”

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Feb 182018

The German band Imperceptum (from Bremen), has released two EPs and three albums. I’ve reviewed all of them excerpt the first EP. At the risk of oversimplifying the experience of Imperceptum’s music, it combines elements of atmospheric black metal, funeral doom, ambient music, and post-metal to create long void-faring journeys that are both terrifying and beautiful.

The richly textured music moves from immense hurricanes of cataclysmic fury to slower, earth-shattering, and crushingly bleak expositions of doom, to illuminating drifts through astral planes or across the yawning maw of deep space. Sweeping and soaring movements of vast and alien grandeur are juxtaposed against harrowing, blood-freezing storms of shock and awe. All of the releases are immersive; the songs are long, but for this listener the minutes seem to pass without any consciousness that time is passing.

I provide that prelude to explain the thrill I felt when I learned that Imperceptum’s sole creator (who goes by the nom de guerre Void) has another project, a death metal operation named Abominations. Abominations released two demos in 2016 — Realms of Horror and Darkness and Insanity — and a debut album, Summoning Death, will be released in March. Today we bring you a stream of its first single, “Invasion of Unearthly Beings“. Continue reading »

SHADES OF BLACK: WITCHERY, ZIGGURAT, WORMKVLT, BETHÍOCH, IMPERCEPTUM

SHADES OF BLACK No Responses »

Oct 082017

I’m having to somewhat throttle my usual verbosity in this Sunday’s collection of music I chose from the black realms. Though I know it will break your heart to have slightly fewer of my linguistic contraptions to marvel at, I’m running out of time and am forced to let the music speak (mainly) for itself.

If you’re able to make your way through everything here, you’ll find a lot of stylistic twists and turns, and maybe something that will agreeably seize you by the throat.

WITCHERY

We have another new song from Witchery’s new album, I Am Legion, which will be released by Century Media on October 6. Presented with a video, “Of Blackened Wing” begins in a slow, dismal, head-moving fashion, and then Witchery cut loose with a blast of evil, blood-pumping black thrash, laced with eerie melodic accents that amplify its infernal atmosphere. Continue reading »

SHADES OF BLACK (PART 2): ELFSGEDROCH, IMPERCEPTUM, WHITEWURM, TRUE LOVE, CWEALM

Album Reviews, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC, SHADES OF BLACK 7 Responses »

Jun 122017

This is the second part of a collection of new black metal recommendations that I began yesterday. There were eight bands whose music I included in Part 1, and originally there were eight more here. Yes, I know, I’ve gone overboard. But since that’s never ever happened before, I know you’ll be in a forgiving mood — especially when I tell you that I’ve siphoned off three of the second group of eight and have put them into a Part 3, coming later today or tomorrow.

ELFSGEDROCH

The debut album of Elfsgedroch (which is apparently Dutch for “mischief of elves”) was released on tape during the spring of 2016, but was released as a digital download and on vinyl in the spring of this year. The album’s name is Op de beenderen van onze voorvaderen (“on the bones of our ancestors”, if Google Translate is to be believed).

I’ve written twice before about individual tracks from the album as they appeared, and intended to write a proper review of the entire album. But now I’m afraid I may never get around to doing that — which makes me feel guilty because I’ve thoroughly enjoyed this record. Not only is the music exceptional, so is the care with which it has been packaged. Take a look: Continue reading »

SHADES OF BLACK (PART 1): HETROERTZEN, IMPERCEPTUM, IMHA TARIKAT, ANCIENT TUNDRA

Album Reviews, Metal News, SHADES OF BLACK, SHORT BUT SWEET 4 Responses »

Feb 122017

I tend to go overboard with the volume of music in these Shades of Black posts, but this one includes even more minutes of listening than usual. In this one you’ll find streams of two full albums, three full EPs, one single, and advance tracks from two forthcoming releases. And lots of my words, of course. In the middle, I’ve also spliced one very exciting piece of news.

Due to the size of this post, I’ve divided it into two parts. Part 2 is almost finished, but because of the volume of music here in Part 1 and in yesterday’s post, I think I’ll wait until first thing tomorrow to unveil it.

HETROERTZEN

Hetroertzen is a Chilean band now based in Sweden. I first discovered them through the music on their last album, 2014’s Ain Soph Aur (which I reviewed at length here). Their new album, Uprising of the Fallen, is now set for release by their new label Listenable Records on February 24. Continue reading »

SHADES OF BLACK: LVTHN, DRAMA, PERDITION WINDS, IMPERCEPTUM, MERV’, VIOLET COLD, TRAUTONIST

Album Reviews, RANDOM FUCKING MUSIC, SHADES OF BLACK, SHORT BUT SWEET 8 Responses »

Jan 312016

This is a rather super-sized edition of Shades of Black, collecting new and recently discovered music in a blackened vein. But believe me, this could have been much bigger still, because I’m sitting on a ton of other releases I’d like to include. I’ll put them in the fridge so they don’t spoil and defrost them later (though of course they’ll never completely de-frost).

LVTHN

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed all of this Belgian band’s previous releases, and have managed to write about most of them (collected behind this link). And before I get to a brand new LVTHN song, I’ll mention that the band have recently made their 2014 compilation release The Grand Uncreation available for “name your price” download on Bandcamp (here). Continue reading »