Black Metal is a weird one for me, especially the ‘Avant-Garde’. Often that tag can mean pretentious, lacklustre or quite frankly just a complete mess. I’ve heard ‘experimental’ types in this field many times, and often with poor results. That said being a purveyor of the strange I never learn from my mistakes and take it upon myself to search for the best in a sea of vomit. Thus, here we stand with what promises to be something to finally make my odd brain happy, the latest from StarGazer.

StarGazer who are from Australia have been an active band since 1995 so they’re right in there amongst the fray of the Black Metal beginnings. However, they sadly didn’t release a full length until 2005 with The Scream That Tore The Sky. This is a hugely praised release and one does wonder what would have become of the band had it dropped sooner in their career. Yet they’ve remained consistent ever since and now in 2021 we come to the bands fifth full length, Psychic Secretions put out through Nuclear War Now! Productions. Can this bizarre bunch hit the mark of their debut classic?

This is the kind of album where I’ll allow an intro track, Simulacrum is almost a little Dark Ambient in its delivery with a touch of epic nature. This transitions into Lash Of The Tyrants, the bass has a lovely almost Tech Death punch to it. The melodic and melancholic guitars create a great atmosphere and once the track races into more Black Metal waters it still retains a unique sound, even amid the gruff, traditional vocals. I would even go so far as to say there are some traditional Heavy Metal vibes emitted from the catchy riffs, I wouldn’t go so far as to say this is pushing the envelope of Avant-Garde but it’s certainly unique. The epic nature of the album carries into Evil Olde Sol, another crushing, headbangable number that is totally unlike any Black Metal I’ve heard but still oozing with the true ethos of the genre. The haunting opening of Star Vassal soon gives birth to more perfect cosmic bass and top quality riffs, mystical, magical and full of intrigue this is surely one of the best Black Metal releases I’ve heard in some time.

There is no let-up either as the album trundles on into Hooves. Another dark and twisting Black Metal medley of metallic genres. Truly this is an inspiring listen that has just the right level of atmosphere and energy. The next song to really grab me is surely All Knowing Cold. The relentless nature is chaotic yet very tight. It really shows what good musicians StarGazer are, technical yet full of Extreme Metal force, a lot of bands could learn from this. The album closes with Pilgrimage which is a delicate track, even harnessing clean vocals. It comes across with poetic artistry. It is also progressive with the clean vocals building to the standard Extreme Metal tone, to which the instrumentation follows suit. This is a brilliant closure but I would have liked to have seen the progressive touch used more throughout the album in retrospect.

So minus the fact that I wish there was a little more of the clean vocals what else can I say is wrong with Psychic Scretions? Well, not a lot really. I’m always conscious to try and bear in mind that we have the rest of the year ahead of us, but honestly this is gold. This is Black Metal that is forward thinking in the best possible way. Forget the Blackened Hardcore or Blackgaze, cardigan Metal as I’ve heard it described before. Forget that this is interesting, innovative and genre-defying. Yet it isn’t in the least bit offensive to the ‘trve’ ear, and that bass, wow, what a beautiful tone amid such a ferocious release.

(9/10 George Caley)

https://www.facebook.com/StarGazer-292821067421712

https://nuclearwarnowproductions.bandcamp.com/album/psychic-secretions