Advent Parallax

When people think of US black metal the bands that get brought up first are usually the one-man misanthropic bands, but to me US black metal is the full lineup bands like Abazagorath, Grand Belial’s Key, Kult ov Azazel, and the Texas triumvirate of Absu, Thornspawn and Averse Sefira. Anyone that thinks American black metal bands did not play a significant part in the 90’s did not listen to American black metal. One thing that is unarguable about Averse Sefira is their reputation for quality. Everyone I talk to says either great band or never heard of them. No one ever says they suck. They are one of the most consistent black metal bands that just tinker with the formula and perfect the components, comparable to Enthroned or Cirith Gorgor in this respect.

That being said any of you out there that are already familiar with the band, what are you waiting for? Go buy this disc. For the rest of you, chaotic and rhythmic at the same time, often repeated motifs, tightly structured off kilter songs that make you feel seasick, a headbanging nod to Voivod and Mercyful Fate, what else do you need to know? This is a great live band that does exceedingly well in the studio as well. The sound quality is more raw and dirty this time but in no way hinders your ability to clearly hear all the instrumentation. The songs all tend towards seven minutes and Averse Sefira has always proven adept at long compositions, nothing here to make me wish for short and to the point. Wrath’s vocals are perhaps not as venomous but they still have their characteristic bite, and his words are still clearly understandable. Musically these guys are once again hovering around brilliant, with far more virtuosity than black metal is given credit for.

This is also a disc worthy of being played backwards in true subliminal infamy. Start with “Vomitorium Angelis”, the intro to which could also be the intro to the album, and then jump right into powerful repeating riffs that hold the song tightly together from beginning to end. Then play “Refractions Of An Unexploded Singularity”, nine brilliant minutes of classic Averse Sefira, especially with the ultra intense vocals and the fast and precise guitars. Work your way all the way back to album opener “Descension” with its more straightforward and less chaotic delivery, still fast and harsh, but more steadying and less prone to fits of vertigo. A solid album from end to beginning and easily worthy of the Averse Sefira logo on the cover. Too band they felt the need to spell out the band name as well, the classic logo speaks for itself, we all know it instantly.

Originally written for http://teethofthedivine.com

Averse Sefira has always been one of those USBM bands that seem to outshine all the others. Their uniqueness is unparallel as their sound is distinct on nearly all levels (aside from vocals, of course). By the name Averse Sefira you can get a basic feel for what type of music is to be played, black metal. Although, the genre name without another adjective is vague, the name of the band promotes its complexity, Averse Sefira. It is not a generic Satan worship, LOTR, Anti-Christian, or dark word in another language, it is a combination of words used rarely. Averse Sefira provokes mind activity with complex song structures, deep lyrics, and an interesting philosophy. Lyrics that come from something that is rarely heard, this is by no means a Nietzsche, LaVey, Crowley, Lovecraft worship band, it is Averse Sefira's own philosophy.

The guitars are menacingly complex. Shifting often occurs and a riff is not held for any longer than 1 minute (or less), a constant variation is always in the mix. With such technical guitar playing, it of course must be accompanied with equally vicious bass and non stop drum movement. There is never a rest; you go from one riff to one riff leaving nothing to drag the songs progression. The drums are tight as ever, the patterns are absolutely perfect, A Shower of Idols is a perfect example.

Overall, this album is great, unique, and dark. In certain songs, their technicality definitely shines and also dims the "light". It seems that even these intellectual and talented musicians are unable to keep up with what their mind has to offer. This problem is very small, as the uniqueness is often ignored and it definitely overpowers all which is negative. It seems that generic music is often preferred over complex patterns and passionate lyrics these days...no wonder American music is SHIT!

Averse Sefira's “Advent Parallax” combines disgustingly dissonant guitars, very complex syncopation and accenting, and almost constantly full throttle tempos to yield a definite candidate for best black metal album of '08. With very interesting artwork provided by Jos A. Smith, artist on board for the first Bathory album, and the ability to issue sane, although obviously controversial, public statements – Averse Sefira continue to offer the full package.

Guitars sound absolutely decapitating; razor sharp waves of dissonance wash over the listener to the rhythm of racing and crushingly syncopated drums. The attention to rhythm seen on this album is a huge part of its success (hear Averse Sefira's death metal influences). Guitars fire out a fairly short, tremolo picked melody while drums maintain intensity - then, as if realing it back in, drums syncopate and guitars finish off the melody before recycling or moving to the next phase.

The level of instrumental transparency these guys can pull off is one of their most impressive features. It's all in their musicianship – the guitars and drums converse like a string quartet from Beethoven while the bass seems to push the guitar lines forward with the force of a bulldozer. Often, cadences or even transitional sections are abandoned in favor of simply slamming one verse into the next, resulting in a terrible sort of violence – like putting someone into a fridge and rolling them down a hill, the movement from verse to verse allows no time for recovery and batters the listener back and forth until the end of the song. Even the “interludes” found on previous albums are gone, save for the opening to the last song (coincidentally the only real consonance on the album). Although the interludes may have been good, their absence provides a slightly more devastating effect.

This album seems to have gotten a reputation like that of a Wagnerian opera. Fans praise it to no end for it's cohesion and musicianship while critics suggest that it's quite generic and gets boring after only a few spins. It seems to me that these critics might be looking for something a little more catchy. Averse Sefira seem to convey their identity through their composition most strongly, rather than contrasting tone colours (again, hear Averse Sefira's death metal influences) – although it's tough to mistake the guitar's voice, the vocals being somewhat comparable to Mikko Aspa of Deathspell Omega. There's more attention to detail than to vulgar hooks and flair. Averse Sefira currently stand as leaders in today's black metal scene and appear fully equipped to continue to rain bitter, nihilistic albums for years to come.