As one descends into darkness, I can only imagine what the soundtrack that accompanies them may sound like. For those lost souls that have committed horrible atrocities, the deafening sounds of decaying industrial noise may forever haunt their every move as it guides them to the pits of hell. For those that have brought shame upon themselves in one way or another may experience a past-lifetime of excruciating gothic undertones. For the rest of the blasphemous descendants, they may experience the diabolical, black ambient sounds of the latest CLAVICVLA album, ‘Sepulchral Blessing’. Horrifying drones, despondent bass frequencies and haunting spoken words bring this terrifying album to life and singes the ear drums of those brave enough to listen. The six ritualistic drones presented on this release combine the dreadful soundscapes that will fill your every wakening moment, with intense anxiety and traumatic noise bliss as the great James Plotkin (O.L.D., Khanate, Phantomsmasher) masters the album to a daunting quality like no other.
The ultra-low bass frequencies of “Demonic Integration”, sets a steady droning pace, as distorted spoken words provide a sermon of evil. Agonizing soundscapes add a layer of discomfort as the listener is treated to an audio assault equivalent to a medieval exorcism. “Insorcist Will” begins with a low-end keyboard arrangement that begrudgingly provides an auditory nail straight to the brain through the ear. The monotone droning creates an eerie vibe and is reminiscent of an early Sunn O))) recording. “Tiamat Skin” ignites a profound soundscape with evil, droning textures and simple, acoustic bass sounds. The frighting spoken words – although barely audible – probably tells a disturbing story of grotesque crimes that have gone unsolved, with bodies unfound. The monk-like chanting at the beginning of “Angra Mainyu” sounds like a demonic summoning gone wrong. As the isolated pads and distorted spoken words join in, it’s clear that corrupt forces are at work here. Ominous soundscapes throughout provide another layer of agonizing excitement as endless torment is imminent. “Apocryphal Truth” starts quietly – compared to the rest of the tracks – but soon gathers alarming momentum, as creepy sounds penetrate the ears. This tracks relies heavily on long, droning sounds to contribute to the misery. The albums final track, “Sepulchral Blessing” furnishes with a climactic ending to the hate and discontent by creating an infernal mix of depressive drones and twisted, synthesized pads. The spoken words are at their most evil and sound abhorrent compared to the previous tracks.
CLAVICVLA have succeeded in creating one of the most disturbing black ambient albums in recent years. The ghoulish spoken word parts and the constant use of distorted low-end bass frequencies are the primary factors that make ‘Sepulchral Blessing” one of the best in the genre. It also helps that the album cover is equally bothersome. This not only surpasses their 2018 debut album, ‘Sermons’, but is May quickly become a defining moment in the genre as a whole. Show your support for this twisted, but brilliant artist (as well as Cyclic Law and/or Sentinent Ruin Laboratories) and download this sinister album as soon as possible!
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