You’re probably not really interested in my personal life but here goes. Outside of reviewing for the wonderful Ave Noctum I also co-host a show on TotalRock called Dark Tryal (check it out). On there me and my friend the Count discussed Lörd Matzigkeitus, our audience was as shocked as we were and I don’t think anyone really knew what the hell was going on. I shuddered at the thought of what a full album would do to me, would I even make it out alive? Spoiler alert, I made it, but let me tell you about my journey.
Canadian musician Lörd Matzigkeitus is an artist dabbling in various projects including The Black Sorcery, The Projectionist (not a fan) and Thy Sepulchral Moon. However today we delve into the solo self-titular project. Now four albums in Lörd Matzigkeitus is nothing short of dedicated and hard-working albeit very obscure and avant-garde. Drown the fourth release and first to come through Moribund Records is sure to prove that, trust me this album is an experience!
Everything opens with Hargalatan, a pretty standard oddly jolly instrumental track that leans into Folk Metal and LOTR like tones. We get our first proper taste of Lörd Matzigkeitus in Manacled ‘Gainst The Dungeon Wall, a hideous display of maniacal violins through guitar amps and vile spewing Black Metal vocals, chaotic to the point of distressing. Imagine how bad a poorly played violin sounds without distortion, then add that, plus Blackened vocals and you’ve got the sound. Cauldron Steeps Befouling is a touch more traditional but still ultimately raw and unforgiving. From an experimental standpoint I admire it, but it’s certainly a very acquired taste. Little is added until the utterly inaudible Corruption Disharmonic and the rise of the dire violin, it’s hideous, and makes five minutes feel like fifty. Again, however I remain intrigued, the fact that music can be so agony inducing is quite the feat.
It doesn’t get much better as we go into Voidspeak, yet another gargantuan dollop of sickening filth, possibly not the good kind either. The same can be said for Dust Crept Lungs A Sulphuric Acid, where the violins almost sound like bagpipes, which again when played poorly do not sound great. So smash together violin, bagpipes, noise, experimental Black Metal and you’ve got Lörd Matzigkeitus. Unique is the word I would use to describe this mess. Spell Possessed, which also happens to be the name of Lörd Matzigkeitus’ upcoming poetry book is a more atmospheric affair, pretty tasteful and a much-needed gap in the madness, although with poor production that is far too quiet. Thankfully there is an end in Pulsing Absorption Of Sickness, a fitting title but a track too far I would say, by this point we’re devoid of emotion towards the insanity and it simply becomes annoying.
As a reviewer I really should be able to tell you whether an album is good or bad, but I’m at a total loss. Drown is an album for a specific time and place, it’s painful, cathartic and devoid of any sort of musicality. However, I’m a big fan of HNW, Power Electronics and other such vomit inducing music so from that angle I dig it. From a Black Metal perspective not so much, indeed this is my issue, the billing of the release. Had this been proposed as Blackened Noise the shock wouldn’t have been so much and it would be far more fitting. The fact remains though that there seems to be an air of actual self-proclaimed genius from Lörd Matzigkeitus and frankly I cannot see it. Take this as an experimental experience and you’ll be overjoyed, take it as Black Metal and prepare for disappointment.
(6/10 George Caley)
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