Departure for the Cosmic Twilight

There is always something to be said when a band comes together and creates one of the most atmospheric, and overwhelming black metal albums of all time. This band, Zargof, straight out of Brazil, brings chilling, raw emotion to the table with their 2004 EP release "Departure For The Cosmic Twilight".

When listening to the first few minutes of this album, I knew I had stumbled across an album that I will consider to be a classic for years to come. Starting with a very powerful atmospheric blast of cymbal and keyboard, I would have it no other way, quickly transferring into blast beats and then an excellent drum beat that is still one of my favourites.

Since I am on the note of the drums, in "Departure For The Cosmic Twilight", I could not ask for more from them. Bellhharar Belphegor does a concrete job with them, unlike a lot of those drummers who go all out and finish off with a sloppy product. He knows what he can do, and he does it well. Coming up with some of the greatest drum beats I have ever heard, but also not trying to hog the spotlight. The usual blast beats are in there with the odd touch of originality.

An album this great cannot be made only by one instrument, and it only seems fitting to honor the talent in the keyboards. The atmosphere added by them truly is chilling, and seems fit to the theme of forests. What i mean by that is, it makes you feel like you are sitting in a small clearing in the forest, with the sun shining down nicely on your face. Definitely NOT to be overlooked.

I will not forget to mention the vocals or bass, as they are quite good, and fitting to the music. They are not anything special in my opinion, but still worth the mentioning. They are quite average sounding black metal vocals, and only harsh ones, leaving us with a very memorable listen.

As you can tell from what I have said, this is an excellent album right from the beginning to the end, and I highly suggest you giving it a good listen. I do recommend listening to it with your full attention for the first time, because that is the way to get the most out of atmospheric stuff. Pick up your own copy soon!!

When critically viewed, how much music is really ‘unique’? Such a word is bandied about quite frequently, to the point where it loses much of its significance. It’s frequently confused with subtlety and even more frequently confused with novelty, but either way the word is not used to in the appropriate context. When we say ‘unique’, are we referring to artists that deserve such a high label, or are we merely appealing to flash-in-the-pan entertainment that will be quickly forgotten after the initial interest wears off?

At the root of this problem is the fact that much originality in metal today does not stem from the introduction of new elements, but the simple fusion and reinterpretation of preexisting factors. One must realize that new or never done in a specific way does not equal ‘unique’; to my knowledge, a fusion of power metal and goregrind has not yet been attempted, but would such a creation really be unique? After all, such elements are existing and are more the result of trial and error than a specific artistic vision.

Zargof, however, should be viewed as the voice of the truly unique. Yes, they operate within the theoretical confines of symphonic black metal, but by reimagining the music within the scheme of their culture they have created music that is genuinely different from what is out there today. Originally released independantly in 2004 but rereleased by Ars Magna Recordings in 2005, ‘Departure For The Cosmic Twilight’ is the debut EP from a brilliant group of artists who should most certainly be held above, say, Xasthur or Deathspell Omega. Perhaps the uniqueness of Zargof rests in their unwillingness to burst out like so many others would; their restraint and obedience to an ‘evolution, not revolution’ mindset is, at least in this case, far more productive than it would otherwise be.

The band finds their home in Brazil, which impacts their music in an exquisite fashion. Unlike the vast majority of black metal, Zargof’s music is warm and full, dripping with the atmosphere of days in humid South American rainforests, yet also reflective of a world far beyond our own. The rhythms carry the distinct bounce-and-roll swung triplets of viking acts such as Moonsorrow or Korpiklaani, but they lack the emotional wavelength that bands such as those work on. While not depressing nor particularly dark, Zargof has the epic themes and power of their northern bretheren translated into Portugese, reasulting in music that can easily commune with American and European audiences while still maintaining its conviction and earnestness.

‘Departure For The Cosmic Twilight’ begins with an atypical instrumental intro in the form of ‘For The Spiritual Redemption’, which could quite genuinely be described as possessing a rather poppish sense of melody. Composed entirely of piano and (likely synthesized) symphonic instruments, it displays the uncanny knack for composing songs that are both easy on the ear of even non-metal audiences but also artistically relevant despite this quality. Such structures seem readily familiar yet still resonant on deeper levels, making this EP deeply pleasing in multifarious dimensions.

After this comes a block of three symphonic black metal tracks, starting with ‘Beyond The Dark Gates’, which fuses the Zargof interpretation of black metal with the keyboard melodies that they will likely be known for. The harmonization of keyboards and guitars are frequent but subtle; generally the guitars will match the root note of each half beat on the keyboards, aiding the aforementioned rolling rhythms. Throughout such songs, Zargof keeps their material complex and engaging, passing through multiple emotional and musical movements. The title track is the closest to traditional black metal, with an opening section that resembles Emperor before collapsing back into the Zargof style of elegant, flowing melody. Zargof’s music is distinctly unjarring; all the instrumental changes are obviously carefully planned and designed to be as smooth as possible.

Perhaps ‘...And The Halls Of The Whisperer Nocturnal Voices’ sums up Zargof’s particular style the best, with it’s frantic yet measured blasting and tremolo sections splitting into the atmospheric synth-infused sections that define them, before peaking at the end with it’s unbelievably emotional guitar solo. All throughout the music is composed delicately and lovingly, with a spirit that is hard to find elsewhere in passion or truth. Brilliant, every single bit of it.

Zargof with this EP have rocketed to the forefront of modern black metal. By maintaining a truly unique sound in a sea of imitators, this young project should go very, very far. Pick up this release and listen to what represents a true voice in artistic achievement.

(Originally written for www.heavymetalmeltdown.com)