This interesting-looking band features members from Naglfar, Secrets of the Moon, Nachtreich and Matthias Jell, the ex-vocalist of Dark Fortress who was on one of my favourite black metal albums of all time, “Séance”. For sure this was never going to be pleasant.
A dark and sludgy tone signals death and unending doom – just like a Dark Fortress track. “There’s no tomorrow” croaks Mr Jell. “Ways to Indifference” expands, and takes us further into a landscape of rotting bodies and human decay. This has breadth and power. It slows down and creeps in a way that is designed to get underneath your skin. Sounds of slavery, wailing and group punishment emerge. The guitar rings out in its cold and sinister fashion. It’s been heard before but there’s loads of impact, reinforced by the drum beat. This track of doom plods on inexorably and majestically. Children and childhood memories are always good themes for black metal musicians to exploit and “Mute” reflects this lyrically and musically with its simple, child-like swaying rhythm. There is a slow and rattling sound, and a slightly distorted rhythm to throw us of our stride. Within the rhythm and the utterly black lyrics and accompanying delivery, there’s an orchestral touch.
At this point “Futile” struggles to get out of a slow and depressive gear. “A Window in the Attic” has shades of CarpathianForest’s “The Old House on the Hill”. The orchestral effects come into it more and more. There is the aspiration to drama but this needs to move on. The title track is bigger in atmosphere but still plodding and depressive. To croaked dark thoughts, a picture is painted of a grey and dismal world. After slowing down, we find ourselves in an eerie void, broken briefly by crashing instrumentals and a deathly scream. The dirge goes on. The guitar plays its steady rhythm like a beating clock. The intensity increases momentarily. The ambiance is reminiscent of early Burzum. The greyness does not lift. “Portraits” then features minimalist acoustics and deeply uttered clean vocals. But always, always, always there is the air of grey monotony. “I’ll bid farewell to the sun, ever aware that you’ve gone”. I don’t recall the sun putting in an appearance. Classic piano and the instrumentals add to the melancholy. If this were Wolverine, it would crank up at this point but this is Eudaimony.
“Cold” retains the monotony but is more accessible and powerful thanks to its all-embracing sound. The guitars issue a sinister threat. The image is of a dangerous world. “Futile” is above all atmospheric. A dark orchestral piece follows. Melancholy seeps through the vents as the drum beats darkly. The vocalist whispers. The relentless progress that this album represents continues on “December’s Hearse”. All elements points to despair. There is a driving force even though the theme is that things can never be the same and time cannot be turned back. It’s a strong end and the orchestral elements give “December’s Hearse” a lofty and melancholic air.
I found “Futile” that hit and miss: strong in parts, drearily depressive in others. There are some good dark atmospheres recalling Dark Fortress. This is utterly bleak, pessimistic and depressive black metal but also can also be monotonous with nothing added.
(6.5/10 Andrew Doherty)
Leave a Reply