IXXI „Elect Darkness”

Music: black Metal
Country: Sweden
Web site: www.myspace.com/ixxiofficial
Choice Cuts: Underworld, Enthusiasm, Beyond the Rupture

With “Elect Darkness”, Swedish purveyors of black metal misery, IXXI (911) make their Candlelight Records debut. Based on the style IXXI plays, the group could rename this album “Thorns vs. Satyricon.” IXXI gives a THORNS impression by their cybernetic production values and avant-garde elements. The group moves by way of heavy, medium-paced grooves, ala DARK THRONE and new era SATYRICON (see “Volcano”). They construct large parts by way of subtle precessions.

One of the best examples of IXXI’s riff building expertise becomes obvious with the album opener, ‘Underworld.’ Here a distortion less guitar shimmers and fades away, making way for a simple bass line. IXXI soon metalizes the soft bass-and-guitar play, giving this simple rhythm a metabolic injection, but changing nothing. Instead of keeping the long chime of the clean guitar, the group maintains the rhythm through strange string bends. ‘Enthusiasm’ samples some of the more enjoyable riff styles found in Norwegian black metal (but these guys are Swedish). Here the group travels between cryptic tremolo riffs to DARKTHRONE/CELTIC FROST trots, makes a doomed halt, which winds down the speedy rhythm, only to revisit its original stride.

Totalscorn presents a multi-angled vocal approach, which makes a large contribution to the avant-garde side of the band. He doesn’t reach the screeching highs of a Dani Filth or early Ihsahn, yet his voice never falls to the lows of a death metal front man. His voice is quite ordinary for this style, but atypical in many ways. On ‘Underworld,’ he morphs his voice into that of an infernal priest, which resembles Maniac’s cleaner tones on MAYHEM’s “Wolf Lair Abyss.” ‘Beyond The Rupture’ shows him take a gravelly shouting style. Although he brings a throaty vocal attack, on “Underworld” Totalscorn shows great staying power. He gets downright demonic on ‘Northern Floods.’

“Elect Darknes” unites the grim, devilish qualities of classic northern black metal, but has modern production and avant-garde aspects. IXXI also incorporates the best aspects of the black metal guitar sound. The group has only two prior releases, which came through much smaller labels. Candlelight’s backing should lead to much greater exposure, which the group fully deserves. Some may say black metal’s day has come and gone, but IXXI proves bands do not have to come from the original Scandinavian black metal scene to make a great piece of art!

note: 8.5/10

Tracklist

1. Underworld
2. Western Plagues
3. Southern Tribes
4. Sinrush
5. Beyond The Rupture
6. Elect Darkness
7. Enthusiasm
8. Eastern Minions
9. Northern Floods
10. Vindicator
11. A Bitter Lesson
Total playing time 55:10

Line-up

Totalscorn – Vocals
Acerbus – Guitar
Nattdal – Guitar
Avsky – Bass