Dwellers Of The Twilight - Sycophant review
| Band: | Dwellers Of The Twilight |
| Album: | Sycophant |
| Style: | Black metal |
| Release date: | November 11, 2011 |
| A review by: | Troy Killjoy |
01. Skeptics
02. Dark Matter Lungs
03. Explorers
04. Endless Cycle
05. Fastwalkers
06. Sycophant
07. Self Conspiracy
08. Unearthing History
09. Terraformer
10. Serpents In The Sky
Dwellers Of The Twilight is a two-piece black metal band from France - unsigned and searching for the right label. Sycophant is their second full-length release, following up 2009's Grey. And the differences are more than noticeable.
Initially it seemed as though the Dwellers (by the names of Human 1 and 2) sought out to join the hordes of raw lo-fi black metal projects, but Sycophant saw them take a turn in the right direction. The direction that makes reviewers like me draw comparisons to the likes of countrymates Deathspell Omega and Antaeus, for willing to experiment within the confines of what some think of as a tired genre.
The sound isn't entirely their own, but it's not exactly a carbon copy either. There seems to be a strong focus on the psychedelic effects the guitars create, distorting their way into a mythical, occult madness - sometimes even reminiscent of contemporary Akercocke. It's not the hoity-toity type of atmospheric black metal that a lot of Alcest rip-offs are vying to emulate, it's the kind of album you absorb while simultaneously taking in the mosaic that is W. Somerset Maugham's Of Human Bondage over tea and
So you've got the psychedelia, the occultism, the all-around raw maniacal machine of a parasite that is the Dwellers Of The Twilight, but what of the spaced out intellectualism marred only by a true cynic's disbelief. That's a fancy way of me telling you that this isn't a straight-up balls to the wall anti-humanistic tongue-lashing for the weak, but a mesmerizing mix of spite and aggression with orchestrated insanity that borders on conspiratorial skepticism to go along with a time-changing propensity most progressive metal bands would be proud of.
This is both black metal for gentlemen as much as it is black metal for nihilists. See for yourself which group you belong to: http://dwellersofthetwilight.bandcamp.com/.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 8 |
| Songwriting: | 9 |
| Originality: | 8 |
| Production: | 10 |
 | Written on 15.12.2011 by I'm total pro; that's what I'm here for. |
Comments
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Comments: 44
Visited by: 410 users
| Milena gloom cookie Staff Posts: 4603  |
Troy and a nine rating. Now that's something you don't see very often.
---- 7.0 means the album is good
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| KwonVerge Odysseus Elite Posts: 5068  |
For gentlemen and nihilists, aight? I'll approach it!
---- Dec. 30, 1334. ...And the whiskey and wine entered our veins when blood was too weak to carry on.
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| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
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| Ag Fox Angel No More Elite Posts: 4774  |
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| Mikyz Posts: 711  |
I listened to this last week, I wouldn't rank them as high as DsO... but it's interesting black Metal, some kind of Raw Post-Black sound.... has more in common with the latest Dso then their other Kenose-like releases, add to that some slight industrial aspects. I'd like to see how it sounds with real drums.
---- Laugh and the world laughs with you. Weep and you weep alone.
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| Edmund Fogg Posts: 1752  |
That's a fancy way of me telling you that this isn't a straight-up balls to the wall anti-humanistic tongue-lashing for the weak, but a mesmerizing mix of spite and aggression with orchestrated insanity that borders on conspiratorial skepticism to go along with a time-changing propensity most progressive metal bands would be proud of. ----------------------------- That is one hell of a long sentence. Got lost for a bit haha. Nice review will try them out
---- You cannot sedate all the things you hate - MM The Observer is the source of reality - Bloom God damn it!! What did Diddy didn't do? - Satan
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| metaleaterr abstract_bliss Posts: 92  |
Killer review!! Like the "distorting their way into a mythical, occult madness" expression. Can't wait to hear this! I like mythical occult shit!! 
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| PocketMetal Posts: 750 |
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306  |
Written by [user id=4365] on 15.12.2011 at 15:25 For serious, as soon as the first track started playing, I was like... Joe, Rozz, the little Doc, Mikyz (even though he said he didn't like it as much), Clint W., etcetcetc would all dig this. 
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by Edmund Fogg on 15.12.2011 at 17:31 I got lost listening to the album. I was hoping to write a bit of a crazy review to reflect that crazy vibe.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| K✞ulu Seeker of Truth Posts: 2573  |
Interesting...
---- Savor what you feel and what you see Things that may not seem important now But may be tomorrow R.I.P. Chuck Schuldiner Satan was a Backstreet Boy
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18374  |
Written by Troy Killjoy on 15.12.2011 at 18:57 You had me at "This is both black metal for gentlemen as much as it is black metal for nihilists." Seriously... Both kinds of black metal are for me so this is like... for me squared! Checking it out asap.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by X-Ray Rod on 15.12.2011 at 20:38 You
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18374 |
Written by Troy Killjoy on 15.12.2011 at 20:39 I would disagree, old bean! /tophat Also... Am I the only one that for some reason thought the album was some kind of tech death just because of the artwork?
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Ag Fox Angel No More Elite Posts: 4774 |
Written by Troy Killjoy on 15.12.2011 at 18:57 very affectionate 
---- loves 小巫
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by X-Ray Rod on 15.12.2011 at 20:41 If I hadn't known ahead of time that I was reviewing a black metal album, I would have definitely pegged this as a tech-death release based on the cover. It has a very Decapitated/Beneath the Massacre look to it. Not that I think Beneath the Massacre are in any way good. But still. Cover art.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by Ag Fox on 15.12.2011 at 20:42 It's the only way I can refer to him in a nickname kind of manner without confusing people with Godin (aka the true Doc).
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Ag Fox Angel No More Elite Posts: 4774 |
I know, but I just found it quite endearing =P Pretty good album btw. Won't rate it as high as you, still on my first listen but it sounds really enjoyable atm
---- loves 小巫
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by Ag Fox on 15.12.2011 at 20:53 I have a feeling many won't agree with the rating, but I know for a fact a lot of people who like black metal will at least think this is good. I'd be surprised if any of the users I chat with even semi-regularly give this anything less than a 7.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| hadriel Posts: 257  |
Awesome review, got me interested enough to check out some samples and it sounds pretty sick. Gonna give it a full go when I get some time this weekend, thanks! I generally like albums that aren't over-produced, but it sounded a little bit too raw to top some of my other favorites from this year. I get that it's what they were going for, and from what I heard it's a good match for the rest of its qualities, but I still prefer the 'crispness' of other releases like WoD and Deafheaven this year... mind you, that's just the vibe I got off the samples and I may become more accustomed to it after a full listen.
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by hadriel on 15.12.2011 at 23:05 Glad to hear it piqued your interest. Lemme know what you think of it when you're done listening in full.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Written by [user id=114127] on 16.12.2011 at 02:01 It's really not as rare an occasion as people make it out to be! 
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| The Turbanator Posts: 1900  |
Apparently they are signed to "Eichenwald". Also, is this 2011 album? M/A says it's 2009. I have their "Grey" album, it's very good.
---- In the name of forests; In the name of stars; In the name of all the seas; In the name of storms... Proud sons of ancient nation; Proud sons of sacred song in the wind; Proud sons behind a mirror of ice who told... Fathers of the icy age!!
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| Merchant of Doom Posts: 702  |
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| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
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| Merchant of Doom Posts: 702 |
Written by [user id=4365] on 16.12.2011 at 14:02 ah, ah, lol...
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| Slayer666 Posts: 2466  |
Cool beans this album. Not sure about "brilliant", though, but a very satisfying listen. Its shine fades a bit when placed against all the other releases this year, though.
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18374 |
Written by Slayer666 on 16.12.2011 at 18:52 It has been quite the year for Black metal indeed.... God how much we have been spoiled.
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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