An exciting debut record that appears to have come from nowhere. The last time I had something like this to review was Hulder’s debut and that ended up being my album of the year!
Further in Evil could well end up hitting the same heights if the first few listens are anything to go by. Just like Hulder, Marthe is a one-woman metal project which hits like a sledgehammer.
Unlike Hulder this is not gnarly Black Metal. Well, it is but it is also post punk, anarcho punk, Doom, crust and many other points in-between. I can see why Southern Lord picked it up as it ticks a fuck tonne of their boxes.
Marthe is Marziona Silvani who previusly drummed for Doomsters Ancient Cult and a bunch of other bands – Pussy Face, Death from Above and more. Encyclopedia Metallum still has her listed in six active bands aside from this solo project so she is certainly prolific in her live output.
A self-declared bedroom project Marthe brings together her experiences within the Anarcho punk, riot grrl and doom scenes with influences of black and seriously dark and powerful metal. The PR blurb mentions the power of Bathory, the sadness of Tiamat and the stench of Amebix and I can only agree. I would also add in the atmospherics of Joy Division and early Sigh.
This album absolutely oozes darkness – like an oil slick contaminating a bright blue ocean it is suffocating and beautiful at the same time. Her vocal style may be something that makes or breaks it for some. Marthe’s main rasp lies somewhere between Eva Green’s character when she is possessed in tv’s Penny Dreadful and Rob the Baron from Amebix/Tau Cross. I absolutely love it – she sounds deranged and otherworldly whilst also completely organic and true. Throughout the album she uses different techniques effectively including eerie cleans on the title track and a punky cleans on Siouxsie And The Banshees cover Sin In My Heart.
I am gonna break with convention and start with that track even though it is the finale of the six tracks of this release. Unlike the other 5 this track is a slab of quiet darkness. It reminds me at once of Toyah, Actors and cholo goth pioneers Prayers – with the shout sung vocals laid over a heart melting piano that appears to be playing at the back of some cavernous hall. There is something Siouxsie-esque about it too – a real dreamlike quality.
So, let’s journey back to “ I Ride Alone “ the epic 11 minute opening track which is an awesome introduction to Marthe and her art. Deep gothic bass, big booming toms and kick drums ragged sludgy riffs with a lead that has that almost bagpipe resonance that Under the Sign of the black Mark has. The first half is a quest across a frosty tundra- as well as Quotrhorn I also get vibes from Abbaths great solo “I” project – lots of space between the riffs and the suggestion of a battle at every turn. Halfway through the track we come to a crossroads and things calm to a throbbing drum beat and whispers before the harshness and dark atmosphere plunges everything behind a smothering shroud. Those shrill pipe like guitars still pierce the blackness and a damn infectious rhythm is dragged along. “Tell me the reason” she rasps as the drums build. Gah I am so invested in this release by now! The track ends with a punky Amebix style dirty groove and it feels like Marthe has not only set out her stall with the opener but enticed everyone with ears to get on board with her snake oil.
The crusty punk coating continues on “Dead To You” which also contains something that is as rare as rocking horse shit in the world of Black metal these days – a shoutable chorus. Sure, it is just “ Dead to You” but it is sung my Marthe with such venom it begs to be screamed along with. Every track on this album is wrought with emotion – note I do not say overwrought – there is nothing pretentious or am dram about Marthe. She says that she is channelling the anger of her alter ego and this is evident. The music and her voice echo with pain but also with power – this sounds like someone breaking free with blood dripping from their wrists and ankles as they go to take revenge.
Onto the title track we journey with its throbbing doomy bass – little bit Celtic Frost a little bit Trouble and a lot of angry vocals. Every lyric is spat with venomous clarity so her storytelling is enchanting. (Although I keep hearing what I believe must be Curse myself – Further in Evil as Kiss Myself and getting a vision of James Brown in corpse paint).
I keep flip flopping on my fave track from this album – as I type this it is “Victimised” which is a based round a Sabbathesque riff that must have been stolen via osmosis from Tony Iommi’s noggin – it has that raw early 70’s vibe and some frankly fucking massive drums. So a big early proto metal sound best add in those pissed off rasped vocals and piercing guitar lines. Oh, hang on how about some clean Viking metal style vocals and melodies on top just to get even more atmosphere in on this track. Simply joyous. The ending sounds like a cross between an Atomic Rooster track and a chainsaw running out of juice.
The “Single” To Ruin Altars mixes multi-tracked folk vocals, ragged punky snarls and a riot grrl style melodic voice to really mix things up. The overall track is like a mix of Ambix Arise era and originators Bikini Kill. The sung verses get inside your head and that vocal melody has got rental space in my brainbox whether I like it or not. (Luckily I do).
That is the thing with this album – Marthe perfectly mixes power and sadness, darkness and catchiness, It strikes a chord on all of my musical taste buds and has left me wanting more. What more can you ask?
(9.5/10 Matt Mason)
Leave a Reply