NADJA/ATAVIST/SATORI : INFERNAL PROCESSION… AND THEN EVERYTHING DIES
Cold Spring
Anyone who witnessed these three outstanding acts on their UK tour back in November 2008 will no doubt be frothing at the mouth upon hearing this limited edition three-way split between the über-prolific Nadja, Atavist and Satori, who each put forward a track to coincide with and commemorate what proved to be a truly mesmerising live experience.
Canadian duo Nadja are up first with the hugely epic “Time is Our Disease”, a thirteen-minute epic where elements of shoegaze and doom/drone collide to create a psychedelic soundscape of truly mammoth proportions. Over the ever-solid foundation supplied as ever by Leah Buckareff’s unmistakable trademark low-end bass fuzz, Aiden Baker is able to weave a bleakly uplifting atmosphere by combining layers of ethereal synths/electronics, distant whispered vocals and an incredibly hypnotic drum beat to almost overwhelming effect. Building to a hugely climatic end, it is moments like this that are hard to forget.
Having previously collaborated with Nadja on the awesome “12012291920 / 1414101″ and “II: Points at Infinity” splits, Manchester-based doom act Atavist prove once again to be the perfect pairing. “Certitude” is another thirteen-and-a-bit minute epic that showcases a lighter, less apocalyptic side to the band when compared to the material on last year’s “II: Ruined” release. That said, this track is still monstrously heavy with the screamed/growled vocals of Matt Bartley keeping things nice and nasty, while the brilliantly worked dynamic arrangements and epic chord structuring work a solemn magick that proves to be this album’s greatest moment.
Providing a very different though fittingly dark end to this so-far superb disc are UK dark ambient act Satori, who’s aptly entitled ten-minute track “Abyss” switches the timbre from deep grey to pitch black. Beginning with a manipulated voice uttering words unfathomable to these mere human ears, Satori slowly unveil a swirling vortex of low-end rumble and drifting ambience that quite literally chills to the bone. Adding ever deepening layers of background noise and fragments of orchestral strings as the track wares on, it all begins to quietly subside until an ominous silence fill the room and you realise it is all over.
“Infernal Procession… And Then Everything Dies” is a stunning representation of three very distinct bands that have culminated to produce an album that is both cohesive and wholly engrossing throughout its entirety. Providing more of an actual experience than just a few bands playing songs, this is thinking man’s/women’s music pushed to soaring new heights. Outstanding.
90/100
DAVE WAITE
