Life Is a Pain in the Neck

"Suicidal Emotions" happens to be, in my opinion, one of the greatest black metal albums ever made, and stands on the podium with the greatest DSBM projects ever. "Life Is a Pain in the Neck" is a demo from Abyssic Hate released four years prior in 1996. It contains instrumental versions of three songs that would eventually appear on the full-length: "Depression: Part I", "Depression: Part II", and "Despondency". Another track, "Suicidal Emotions", is also included, but was oddly excluded from the album of the same name. Actually, the fact that this song wasn't included on the full-length is one of the disappointing factors I have with the demo, but we will get into that soon. This demo is extremely rough in comparison to "Suicidal Emotions". It's muddy, drowned, and raw. However, it is not unlistenable by any meaning of the word. Could it be better though? Absolutely.

My main issue I have with this demo is actually the production. If you listen to "Depression: Part I" from this demo and the version from "Suicidal Emotions" back to back, you will most likely leave quite puzzled. It amazes me how the masterpieces that eventually would come to life on the full-length started out here. They sound so different in terms of production and overall atmosphere, yet remain structurally the same. These pre-production versions do not sound bad or anything, but they're fairly underwhelming to the versions to follow. Sadly, as I said earlier, we didn't get "Suicidal Emotions" on the full-length which is actually quite a pity. This song is the second shortest on the demo clocking in at just over 8 minutes, following the just under 8 minute track "Depression: Part II", but contains some of the best guitar work I've heard from anything else Shane Rout has put out. It's got the traditional depressive black metal formula Abyssic Hate embraces. You know, repetitive riffs, dragged out, droning sections, and an extremely sad yet melodic atmosphere. I am unsure why he would leave it out of the album, especially considering it shares a common name. I would have loved to hear a version with an updated production value.

So...this is a demo. We aren't going to get amazing quality or over-the-top theatrics here, and I expected this to be the case. However, it just feels underwhelming in comparison to the classic "Suicidal Emotions". Maybe I should have checked this out before listening to the full-length. I'm sure it will grow on me in time but until then, I'll stick to Rout's full-length masterpiece.

This early Abyssic Hate demo from way back in the 1990s is an all-instrumental minimalist set of three tracks. Just over half the release is given over to "Depression", parts 1 and 2, and a solid head-cleaner this turns out to be. It is continuous harsh guitar-texture distortion shaped in the main by a series of repetitive riff loops and fairly basic percussion which sets the pace and provides the structure.

For all its apparent primitive nature, "Depression" tricks you into hanging on with changes in key that alter its mood and from then on, even though it may return to previous riffs, it seems a very different beast, more complex than it first appears. The two parts are divided by a sombre ambient passage marked by a stark tolling bell and drone wash. In all, this is quite an immersive piece with some good riffs and if it had been one continuous track instead of two split ones, it would be very good indeed.

"Suicidal Emotions" is a dark urgent piece with clear guitar tones verging on jewel-like glitter while the bass and rhythms hurry towards certain doom. The atmosphere generated hovers between desperation and paranoia. Again, this is a very minimalist and absorbing track in which mood and atmosphere are dominant.

"Despondency" initially seems a long footnote to the previous pieces but about halfway through it develops an actual clear-toned melody that sums up the theme of the entire recording: isolation, alienation, the despair of being disconnected from others and the emotional pain this causes. The track is as close to alienated urban blues that Abyssic Hate comes. The mood changes in the track's latter half to something approaching sheer devastation.

The entire recording is a good example of how repetition kept to a strict minimum can be turned to producing an emotionally gut-wrenching work. No lyrics were needed to elaborate on the emotion and anguish generated here: the music conveys it all. Parts of the demo could be tightened up a little so that individual tracks are more self-contained and the whole unified but apart from small changes, the work as it stands is highly absorbing.

This is the first Abyssic Hate record I've ever listened to, four or five years ago. And I currently listen to it several times by week. This is not only the height of suicidal BM, it is an absolute masterpiece. On the base of the most depressive Burzum moments, Shane Rout has created his own style. The absence of vocals does'nt matter at all; it also glorifies the beauty of the music in herself. The sound is raw, quite dirty but there are some melodic parts that are surely coming from beyond the space. I will describe the demo song by song:

"Depression part I":
riffing quite primary at the first listenings, but these ones are killing. It has a medium tempo. The whole song is based on repetitive structures, but quickly giving a "progressive' dimension. It becomes fast very hypnotic, like a whirling spiral, leading you to more and more sorrow. At 5.40' comes the PERFECT passage: forget the best moments of Shining or Silencer; at this time your soul will be plagued forever. The ambiant outro is a great transition. It has been done by Raison d'Être, and sounds like the whispers of dead spirits over a landscape of grey ruins, as a deep fog covers the scene.

"Depression part II":
The structure is once again repetitive, the tempo is a little bit slower. But it is again majestic,carrying a feeling of misfortune and absolute distress. The chilling riff that comes at 3.50' will torment you eternally.

"Suicidal Emotions":
The fastest tempo of the demo. Approximately the same structure as the precedent, but the lead melodic parts are better. Hypnotic and raw, a jewel out from the dark spirit of his creator.

"Despondency"
Same tempo as the first song. Melodic, majestuous, but incredibly sorrowful. Try to picture yourself the sorrow in its purest form, add it to the most depressive Burzum parts on "Burzum/Aske" and "Filosofem" and the atmosphere of funeral doom bands like Worship, and you will still be very far from reality. This song is a monument; listening to it will make you fall into total depression. But on the other hand, you will fall under his spell...under the spell of Abyssic Hate.

......dépression magnifique et éternelle......