I always like to take a peek into a group’s environment if it is not a place I have particularly heard of and Chelyabinsk Oblast Russia where Hovert dwell seems like a perfect place for musicians practicing black metal to live. There are areas of great beauty here, mountains and big thick spruce tree forests and when snow hits, what a wintery picture postcard it makes. I am sure there are ugly urban industrial areas too but you can easily see any musician getting plenty of inspiration from the nature around them here in much the same way as the Scandinavians. Hovert is predominantly musician and vocalist Alever although he is joined by drummer Dismal on this the 3rd full length album. Active since 2010 they have also put out a couple of EP’s and splits with the likes of Psychonaut 4 and Cheerful Depression and it is the depressive and atmospheric side of blackness that they purvey here.
There are three main tracks here ‘Antinatalism,’ ‘Pendulum’ and ‘Omyt’ each is followed by a shorter second part which is instrumental and largely acoustic and also show that Alever is adroit with cello and able to add further dimensions to things with its wavering call. The main tracks are not fast but more of a ponderous and introspective nature. The defining melody is strong and at times quite beautiful here in its darkness and sombre tones. A guitar line weaving through the first number has an almost post punk feel to it and really sings along to the listener. Speaking of singing, well that is the defining factor here as to whether you will like Hovert or not. Alever goes for that harrowing necro-squawk which some may find a little on the painful side. When at full definition it could well sound like an enraged turkey being chased around the Christmas table determined not to end up in the pot. Without it this album might not even be looked at as black metal and gain something like a depressive rock tag but with it, well you could not term Hovert as anything else and these vocals really do convey a massive sense of anguish and pain. They are particularly effective after the long lead into ‘Pendulum’ as the song swings from glistening fragility into uglier tones and the drumming seems to be clattering around at a different beat, one wonders whether things are being done this way on purpose or simply by the best means available and it is all a little sloppy sounding. This strikes as a weakness but once settling back into the more gorgeous and fragile sounds of naturistic melody it is obvious there is plenty of poise and skill here, so perhaps the benefit of doubt can be given. Still, I think some may find it a difficult listen around this point and be looking forward to the next simpler, classical acoustic piece.
The no frills production strikes as suitable and a lot of care has been put into the packaging of this disc. There’s a fold out poster with lyrics in both Russian and English which is helpful. Omyt is translated to Deep End and unveils a story of being weathered down and buried, struggling with crops over inhospitable land that is unchanged by progress of time and where nature never changes. There’s some guitar fuzz to it and those who follow one-man black metal outfits will pick up the isolation and feeling of being at odds with the world and wanting to be left alone by the determined plod of the music and the shrill, outraged pain of the vocals. Certainly not the easiest of listens but an intriguing one (a sudden splash of what can only be described as synthwave here, clearly showing ideas) this is this is music of desolation and solitude, quite fitting for these times and an album that true misanthropes will find some cold comfort within.
(7/10 Pete Woods)
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