DEADSPACE – Unveiling the Palest Truth

Infinitely bleak and outright oppressive soundscapes envelop the mind when digesting the ominous content that makes up the latest offering by the Australian black metal duo known as Deadspace, and we might as well establish the fact that this is one of the year’s most captivating releases. Now that we have established said fact, let us proceed, shall we?

Twisted and cryptic yet neither impenetrable nor unnecessarily meandering, the combo conjures up a layered and richly woven tapestry of demented and sick vocals, harsh and dissonant riffs that sound unearthly, hypnotic passages with an unsettling sense of dark splendor to them, and an aura that is a feast to the ears and imagination thanks to the flow of the entire piece. There is a haunting depth and a frightening sense of meaning and conviction to its songs and words that are simply impossible to shake once you have embarked on this harrowing musical journey.

In many ways, this is black metal as art and a trance-inducing soundtrack, and incidentally, the title track is quite possibly one of the best and most rewarding listens that I have had the morbid pleasure of experiencing this year. Things go hand in hand throughout with the morose and brooding lyrics complementing the music and artwork splendidly.

A musically stunning and perfectly disheartening affair that will flush your day right down the toilet for all the right reasons.