Svart Records are always good for a surprise. However, Industrial-tinged Metal I did not expect as this is a genre rather rooted in the nineties.
Two guys from British funeral Doom masters Esoteric (singer Greg Chandler and guitarist Kris Clayton) started out to expand their musical spectrum in SELF HYPNOSIS. Do they? Well, Contagion Of Despair is a record dark and depressive and at a sluggish pace. The Death Metal roots are omnipresent, so, there is not such a big difference to the main band. As Esoteric often does, so do SELF HYPNOSIS too and lose themselves in 12 minutes+ epics, not easily to digest. Industrial elements as in Godflesh and Pitshifter round up the compositions. Unfortunately, the tracks lack of power, dynamics and groove to spice up the tough mixture. No doubt, the gentlemen know how to create atmosphere, though, the lava-like flowing tracks drag on nerves way too often, do not get to the point, while repetitions cause monotony but do not mesmerize.
The will to broaden the musical horizon is there. Vocals alternate from clean to deep-throated growls. Sometimes, Post-whatever elements sneak in and synths soundscapes appear.
Despite all those elements, Contagion Of Despair leaves me rather bugged out. The album drags you down. Long-winding tracks are chewy and sometimes feel half-baked. Industrial elements act rather fainthearted. That bothers me a bit, as I am actually the audience for this kind of music.
Do not get me wrong: Contagion Of Despair is far away from being a bad record. Fans of doomy music should definitely risk an ear but should bring the patience I was lacking of.
Notice: Even if Industrial Metal is rather rooted in the nineties, Contagion Of Despair does not sound like that. This record is pretty much of the Funeral Doom/Death Metal school, just spiced up with elements of foreign genres…