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Bane > Chaos, Darkness & Emptiness > Reviews
Bane - Chaos, Darkness & Emptiness

more than a decade - 95%

Samoth Ulver, July 12th, 2023
Written based on this version: 2011, CD, Abyss Records (Digipak, Reissue)

My first review in metal archives has to be of this album... That was the first thing I thought when I registered after years of visiting the site. Back in 2011, searching for new material in the black and death metal oriented networks, I stumbled upon this debut. Serbia at that time of my life was a totally unknown scene for me, so I called my attention to give it a chance and I wasn't wrong.

"Chaos, Darkness & Emptiness" is an album full of nuances, starting with a rather gloomy intro oriented to orchestral instruments and classical sound that paves the way to what is to come. After this evil introduction, comes the most violent part of the album with songs like "The True Insomnia" and "Pandemonium". I say violent, because in my opinion both songs are the ones with more death and black metal influences; fast songs, raspy and guttural vocals, violent, fast and sharp drums, catchy riffs. In short, what you would expect from a band that defines itself as death/black metal.

After the first third of the album which was blistering, we have another rather somber instrumental song. I highlight the latter because after this instrumental the nuances that I mentioned at the beginning of my review begin, nuances where mainly the acoustic guitars predominate, passages with dense riffs, gloomy, with clear doom metal influences. Songs like "Abhorrence", "Plague upon Yourself", have these marked influences, fluctuating between the melodic and the aggressive. Finally we have a song that I would call atypical, because if I only listened to this song and not the others on the album, I could perfectly conclude that this is a death/doom band. "The Haunting Presence" has a sad, melancholic sound, with dense riffs and guttural riffs full of feeling, I sincerely believe that the closing of this excellent album could not be better and that it embodies the intention of the band when showing this dark journey in the almost 40 minutes of duration.

I am very fond of this album, because in those years I was going through moments of "Chaos", "darkness" and "emptiness". Bane's journey on his album was also my journey at that time in my life. It's not the best album of the genre you'll ever hear, but it's one of my must-haves of the genre and one of my must-haves of metal in general.

BANE: "Chaos, Darkness & Emptiness" - 50%

skaven, December 3rd, 2011

On their major debut Chaos, Darkness & Emptiness, Bane deliver a decent piece of diverse melodic black / death metal: this 42-minute whole is divided into three sections that present somewhat different musical styles, starting with the violence of ”Chaos”, followed by ”Darkness” with its more gloomy atmosphere, and ending with the partially doom metal influenced ”Emptiness”.

The album sounds rather modern, fairly bordering on too polished production - especially the somewhat triggered drums - but is still enjoyable to listen to. There’s a lot to discover from the well textured soundscapes of the album: some synths are included (”Abhorrence”), acoustic guitars appear every now and then - on ”Lost Shadow” they even dominate, in fact - and there’s some nicely done cacophony towards the end of ”Pandemonium”, for example, but the main focus is on powerful rampage created with riffs and beats.

Singing style ranges from low grunts to high-pitched screams, satisfying both black and death metal listeners, because this indeed is a mixture of both styles and even some more (hear the progressive tendencies on ”Plague Upon Yourself”). Despite the varied nature of Chaos, Darkness & Emptiness, there’s nothing really unique to find from here, so that the record is more like a mixture of many things done before. Anyhow, Chaos, Darkness & Emptiness keeps my attention throughout and proper fans of modern deathened black metal should give this a go, they could find more to dig from here.

2.5 / 5
[ http://www.vehementconjuration.com/ ]

The Next Big Thing - 95%

Orion, April 16th, 2011

While I was searching for my dose of Dissection-esque metal, I came across Bane as a recommendation, so I decided to check this album out.

It starts with a fairly uninspired orchestral introduction, paving the way for a relentless assault of melodic black/death metal in the vein of Dissection, imbued with a Belphegor touch with some Emperor spices.

The True Insomnia and Pandemonium are two amazing tracks, full of freezing melodies, layers upon layers of melodic guitars, and acoustics straight from Jon Nodtveidt's textbook. These two tracks are followed by an interlude, which precedes Abhorrence, a song noticeably more ferocious than the aforementioned two.

After that, the album massively slows down in pace. Plague Upon Yourself is one fuck of a black/doom metal song while The Haunting presence's outro features some excellent soloing over slow, crushing riffs.

All in all, the album offers a slab of melodic black/death metal with a lot of variation and huge balls. My only minor complaint is that the first and last tracks are completely useless.

Excellent Melodic Black Metal - 87%

cweed, December 15th, 2010

While I expected Bane to sound similar to other Serbian black metal bands such as May Result and the Stone, I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this album. This is by far one of the best melodic black metal albums I’ve heard this year, and I could definitely see this band doing well for themselves on the international level.

What struck me as most memorable about this album was the atmosphere, as it wasn’t just “grim and frostbitten” all the way through like so many other albums of the genre. Bane balance things out very well, whether it’s the feeling of forgotten majesty in slower songs such as “The Haunting Presence”, the icy melodies of “Pandemonium” and “Inherited Infection”, or the creepy, carnival-like overtones of “Abhorrence”. Furthermore, it’s worth mentioning that those of you who are allergic to cheesy keyboards need not fear, as keyboards on this album are used sparsely and only in intro tracks (like in the awesome, early-era Mortiis-esque “Awakening of the Evil Spirits”, and “Dysthymia”, which recalls Ildjarn‘s ambient stuff). The ominous acoustic guitar melody in "Lost Shadows" is a nice touch as well, as it only further reinforces the album's atmosphere and also provides a brief break from the intensity.

While the songs are catchy, dark, and pretty much all you can ask for in a melodic black metal album, it’s worth calling attention to both the high-quality production and musicianship on this album as well. The guitar playing is flawless, the solos are classy, and the drums are top-notch, without sounding fake or over-produced. The vocals also suit the music quite well, as Branislav’s death metal growl and Khargash’s black metal rasp compliment each other perfectly and give the music another dimension. I could definitely see both black and death metal fans digging this album. It’s also good to see high-quality metal like this coming out of Serbia, as I’m not too familiar with what the metal scene is like there, but if Bane is any indication of the overall quality of the Serbian underground, then I’m excited to see what else this scene has in store for us.

When I first gave “Chaos, Darkness, & Emptiness” a listen I felt that I was listening to a Dimmu Borgir knockoff, and while I’m assuming that Dimmu is a huge influence on these guys, Bane definitely has enough of its own character to separate itself from the imitators. This and Istapp’s debut album earlier this year are, for me, some of the best melodic black metal to come out in 2010. I would definitely recommend this album for fans of Dimmu Borgir, Catamenia, Dissection, Old Man’s Child, etc.

Originally written for Malicious Intent:
www.maliciousintent666.blogspot.com

Forging of familiar storms - 70%

autothrall, December 15th, 2010

You wouldn't think of Serbia as a hotbed for metal acts quite yet, but in fact there are a hundred or so bands hailing from the area, one of whom I present to you here. Bane, not at all to be confused with the popular US hardcore band, performs a mix of black and death metal with strong production and an intense focus on the riffing over sheer vitriolic speed, their debut Chaos, Darkness & Emptiness a decent if familiar work that may indeed appeal to fans of numerous genres. The 'death metal' portion of the album manifests largely through some of the chugging riff patterns and about 50% of the vocals, which are splayed out in guttural excess, while the remainder consists of streaming, cutting chords and rampant snarling.

Bane certainly sounds like a great deal of other bands, in particular Norse bands like Emperor in collision with Swedish bands like Dark Funeral or Hypocrisy, but I'd say they cast a wide enough net that you don't feel the material is too derivative of any one school of fish. Perhaps the strongest point of this full-length debut is that the band pace themselves well, offering some variety through the track list that keeps the listener engaged, though not exactly glued. The "Awakening of the Evil Spirits" intro is a nice synthesized classical overture breached by the hammering of "The True Insomnia", a piece that quite evenly divides its time between the two constituent genres, while "Pandemonium" writhes along at a brisk, mid pace through which the thunder of the rhythms is glazed over in chorus shouts, double bass and brisk flights of increased speed. After this is an acoustic piece, "Lost Shadows", and then a fairly brutal onslaught called "Abhorrence".

No two songs sound quite the same, and each delivers at least 1-2 quality riffs, my personal favorites coming in the melodic swagger of "The Haunting Presence" or the callous, blasting abandon of "The Dawn No More Rises". There's a nice ambient interlude piece deeper in the album titled "Dysthymia" which further cements the band's ability to vary up their content that the witness remain allured, but I wouldn't say that this was necessarily a great record, if only because there aren't enough tracks that you'll want to revisit constantly. Fans of bigger budget Swedish or Norse melodic black metal might very well find this their cup of blood tea, because the mix itself is quite enormous, and the compositions are never boring, but they're not blazing any new trails through the conscience. So, what we're ultimately left with is a debut that shows the talent and reach of a batch of individuals (all of whom also perform in other acts), but does little to bore itself beyond the upper layers of memory.

-autothrall
http://www.fromthedustreturned.com

A great album, missing personal touch. - 87%

opium89, November 1st, 2010

First thing announcing the atmosphere of this album is unquestionably its cover. By staring at it a bit longer you may notice all the emotions embedded in the music. Music will guide you from chaotic state, through hate, darkness, anger, sadness, to the loss of all emotions, to an empty state in which one is unable to feel. But let’s not judge the book by it’s cover.

First chapter: “Chaos”. Skipping the intro that usually sets the right atmosphere, the album starts with heavy drum and guitar hits, followed by a very powerful and mean theme. Further on, combining different growling and screaming vocals and various drum patterns, they make their music “wanna go out of control”, yet it is controlled by using slower passages. The third song continues where the second stops by going totally out of control. Confusion. Chaos.

Just before it’s too much, the chaotic noise is calmed down by a melodic instrumental that leads the listener to the second chapter: “Darkness”. Although themes are still fast and grim, one can also hear a strong death metal influence. Tempo and rhythm changes. Strong brakes, and heavy riff parts make this part different, more defined and sharper from previous.

“Emptiness”. The last chapter. “Inherited Infection” introduces slow doomish melodies between the fast parts of the song. The slow parts finally prevail during the penultimate song on the album. The melancholic melody, heavy chords and deep growls call for emptiness. The album ends with an eerie, empty, instrumental. The quest is fulfilled, the listener is taken through chaos, darkness and emptiness.

Speaking of genres, this album is a combination of many. Although they consider their music black death metal, there are influences of almost all metal sub-genres. Starting from the slow parts typical of doom metal, heavy parts influenced by old school death metal, to wide range of vocals typical of all extreme metal sub-genres. Sharp, tight and bright production adds modern, at some points industrial feel. Simple, but wisely fitted arrangements make it easy to listen, but keeping the listener’s attention. The lyrics are filled with hate, disappointment, sadness and anger.

Honestly, I have to agree with Zlabog’s conclusion. Away from combining all that has been already heard, “Chaos, Darkness & Emptiness” does not bring innovations. This is the only reason for the lower grade. But after listening to this album, I’m looking forward to their future releases, hoping they will contain stronger personal touch!

A more than decent start! - 90%

Zlabog, October 21st, 2010

After hearing this album, it is no wonder why so many labels cooperated to release this album on CD, Digi-CD & MC version. BANE, a rather unknown Serbian Extreme Metal band in the underground scene, with this album might turn everything 180 degrees.

Since this is the first review for this album, let`s start off with a quick introduction. From their formation in 2006, after one Demo in 2007 and a short EP in early 2010, the band finally presents us their first full-length album, and it was well worth the wait.

“Chaos, Darkness & Emptiness” was recorded in HellSound Studio (Czech Republic), and was recorded/mixed/mastered by Honza “Butcher” Kapak, who is previously known for his works in Judas Iscariot, Nargaroth, Maniac Butcher, (etc…) and for being the mastermind behind Avenger (CZ). The artwork is done by Marcelo Vasco (Belphegor, Gorgoroth, Satyricon, Vader, Keep Of Kalessin, etc…), so there is no need to comment that part of this release, as it really is perfect.

Since the album concept is divided in 3 parts, let`s review them separately.

Chapter I – CHAOS:

The album starts off with a rather typical sounding intro – orchestral instruments, choirs, melodies and harmonies that predict evil is near. After the intro finished, and the second song kicked in the 20th second, it was indeed – Chaos. Clear production, pummeling double bass drumming, razor sharp guitars, with various growls & screams all over the place. Fast, furious & precise, a perfect mixture of Black/Death Metal, the band clearly combined elements of early Dissection, Dark Funeral and Behemoth to create a unique atmosphere and sound of their own. Generally the first third of this album is the most aggressive part of the album, and perhaps the fastest, with not too many tempo changes but yet no monotone parts – just “straight up your face” music – lots of blast-beats, fast double bass, evil guitar lines, and tones of various vocal types which covered everything from the more standard growls & screams, up to some shouts. The end of this era has a rather “creepy” ending, and without any blank spots leaves use to the next chapter…

CHAPTER II – DARKNESS

Starting of with a nice short acoustic instrumental, the band simply continues to bring good ideas, and the album continues without any unnecessary elements. Full of catchy melodies and various vocals, this chapter is much more richer tempo changes, combining furious Black/Death Metal with, this time, slower acoustic elements, which really has a nice ambient, specially after the first part of the album which was more about intensity and aggression. This part for some listeners may be considered a less “commercial” one than the previous, but nevertheless is very digestible and totally fits in the context and description – Darkness. It is slightly more dark and moody, yet retaining the atmosphere of the whole album, keeping it still very compact, but different than the rest. Musically a quite pleasant trip the band brought us.

CHAPTER III - EMPTINESS

The last part of the album starts of, contrary to the first two, immediately with a full song. This would definitely be the most melodic part of the album, with less various vocal lines, and with a more “standard” approach the songs, concerning the arrangements. By hearing only this part, the impression of a Black Metal band gets almost totally lost, as with the clean production and melodies played here, it sound too “commercial” for anything to be called “Black Metal”. Mainly this parts main focus is the simplicity of creating very nice and easy-listening songs, which have more of a Doom/Death Metal approach. Before the outro, the last song is more or less a Doom Metal piece – relatively slow and Melodic, very pleasant to hear after all the Black/Death insanity. The album finishes with another instrumental track, where only the keyboards slowly fade away in the cold depression…a perfect ending for this album. Again totally fitting everything into the concept of this masterpiece, the perfect word to describe the ending of the album – Emptiness.


Conclusion:

This album may not be the most original Black/Death Metal piece of art, but it is most certainly one of those albums where there is absolutely nothing bad to say about it. Absolutely everything is put in it`s place, where it should be. The production is perfect for this genre – guitars cover widely all the frequencies so they are neither too low or too high, the drums have a very natural sound yet the bass drum is high pitched/triggered, the bass can be heard in some parts where it plays some sort of lead. The length of this material is just enough to represent everything what should have been said and played in those 40 minutes of music. The diversity of vocals added a special “charm” to this recording which make them easy to follow and very interesting, and to have them combined so well with all the different musical elements really makes it unique, and ready for another listen.

All in all, “Chaos, Darkness & Emptiness” in an album which will positively surprise many Black/Death Metallers, both old school oriented and modern fans. And an extra bonus it that this album is available in different formats, which allows us collectors to purely enjoy the Underground in it`s best form.