Entropia - Vacuum review
| Band: | Entropia |
| Album: | Vacuum |
| Style: | Black metal, Post-metal |
| Release date: | September 28, 2018 |
| A review by: | RaduP |
01. Poison
02. Wisdom
03. Astral
04. Vacuum
05. Hollow
06. Endure
Despite how it may appear, that is not Hercules taking a selfie flexing in a mirror with the Nemean lion's skin. No, this is instead one of the most psychedelic post-metal albums you'll hear this year.
Entropia have made a bit of a name for themselves in the post-metal scene with their previous two releases, Vesper and Ufonaut, both of them being mainly post-metal but with such a huge space rock and shoegaze and black metal influence that the latter was nominated in the metalgaze section of our awards. Don't let this make you think this is some Deafheaven clone or anything; far from it. The "gaze" that Entropia do is pulsatingly psychedelic.
Vacuum is certainly more ambitious than its predecessors. Now that the spotlight has been captured, Entropia have released their longest album as well as their most psychedelic one, pushing the shoegaze and the black metal elements a bit more to the side. They're still there, but drowned in the bigger space rock sound. Since I've used "psychedelic" quite a lot so far, I have to praise the layered minimalism that manages to create that feeling. As with most post-metal and atmosphere-focused music, the music isn't extremely complex, and is often more focused on slowly building a repeating base layer by layer and small move by small move, giving it a sort of ritualistic feeling, which fits really well with the really long songs that they build.
Entropia's production, which never pushes any instrument too much to the front, makes sure that the attention is rarely shifted from the strong atmosphere that it creates, and really the only moments where that may be the case are when the drums start blasting (I told you the black metal influence is still there). But if I had to give mad props to any use of an instrument it's gotta be the keyboards. They mostly stay in the background, only sustaining the backbone of the music, but when they do branch out, they sound amazing.
Vacuum is entrancing and immersive. It makes good use of its blend of genres, balanced instrumentation, and minimal songwriting to create an amazing psychedelic atmosphere and there isn't any point where the immersion is lost, which would be a pitfall of such a long album. So dive into the vacuum.
 | Written on 25.11.2018 by Doesn't matter that much to me if you agree with me, as long as you checked the album out. |
Rating:
6.0
6.0
|
Rating: 6.0 |
Having been slain by a Hell knight in Doom, feeling crushed, I exited the game in frustration. Being a masochist, I left wanting to continue that feeling. That's how I stumbled upon this album. The sound and production are modernized, with every instrument and voice processed with effects. Guitar and bass mesh seamlessly to create a heavy low end, with riffs used mainly for atmosphere and support. Synths are a welcome companion on this record, being always translucent and light. Drums rarely take center stage compositionally, but are taking a lot of my attention due to high hi-hat and cymbal volume. Other drum pieces sound very punchy. Drum grooves are not versatile within sections, choosing to reinforce a hypnotic and psychedelic vibe, and sometimes enjoy a quirky change-up. Vocals come in sparingly to reveal a deep emptiness within, using hollow and desperate screams. I would have loved to hear guitar solos on this record. Read more ›› |
Comments
Comments: 4
Visited by: 77 users
| Auntie Sahar Drone Empress Posts: 5989  |
I'd actually never heard of these guys before your review, but checking this out now it's pretty wicked so thanks for the discovery Yung Solja  I really love how much the idea of merging black metal with more psychedelic elements has been expanding and diversifying this decade, at this point there are a lot of different takes on it. I still probably prefer the Skaphe/Wormlust/Arizmenda type approach above all, but this is seriously cool from an opposite direction. A lot more repetitious, nice underlying doom influence, and very cloudy and bright. Mouth watering listen and I think I'll definitely be checking out their earlier releases from here as well  Also what's up with that 6.0 guest review? Is someone out of their element again?
---- I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go. ~ II. VII
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| RaduP CertifiedHipster Staff Posts: 9028  |
Written by Auntie Sahar on 26.11.2018 at 16:52 Honestly it reminds me a bit of Oranssi Pazuzu and Yuri Gagarin, both space rock influenced. I have no idea what the guest reviewer was thinking. Maybe they find it too monotonous.
---- Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking One day there will be no heart at all?
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| musclassia Staff Posts: 7628  |
Haven't listened to Ufonaut in a year or so, but I don't remember it being this wacky, this is all over the place and I love it
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| RaduP CertifiedHipster Staff Posts: 9028 |
Written by musclassia on 12.12.2018 at 23:02 I got reminded of "Radiation from the computer is hurting my eyes. I love it." and I chuckled
---- Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking One day there will be no heart at all?
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