Band:	Nivathe
Album:	Enveloped In A Diseased Abyss
Style:	Blackened doom metal
Release date:	November 2008

01. Writhing, Collapsed Flesh
02. Veins Of Death And Hunger
03. Decay
04. Enveloped In A Diseased Abyss

Nivathe is a side-project of a Senthil member (Plague), the highly notorious Texan Funeral/Black Doom act. Hey, don't try to run away on me just because I'm mentioning Senthil! In comparison to Senthil, Nivathe's got a lot more flesh on its bones. It is rotten flesh and broken bones, but still. In fact, although this is basically a mix of Black metal, Doom, Noise and Ambient, it's a lot more 'musical' than Senthil ever was. Enveloped In A Diseased Abyss is the first full-length.

Let there be no doubt, Nivathe is what I'd like to call 'sick as fuck'. Sick. As. Fuck. And then some. Enveloped In A Diseased Abyss is a four track, forty-four minute journey through the bowels of hell. "Writhing, Collapsed Flesh" opens up with brooding ambience covered in a harsh, noisy crust. It continues with slow, rusty and metallic riffs and drums that sound like shrapnel grenades. Mr. Plagues come in with his cross-breed of screeches, growls and 'spoken word', although he quickly descends into a full-on heavily tormented screech-assault. I'll say it once again, although Nivathe definitely resembles Senthil, it is a much better band because of the richer song writing. Senthil took minimalism and torture to an absurd level and became a parody of Funeral Doom and itself, but Nivathe sounds genuinely fucked up.

The second track "Veins Of Death And Hunger" opens in similar fashion, but manages to surprise with a treble-heavy plucked interlude which is truly a pillow for our tired and violated ears. The relief of pain is unfortunately only short-lived, as soon the noise slowly seeps in again. You beg, cry, pray "oh noooo please God noooooooooooo?". But God/Plague is merciless and unleashes a Diapsiquir-esque section and there we go again, circling round the edge of the wretched void again, slowly but inevitable circling closer and closer to the vicious centre.

I'll say it again: Nivathe is dark, sick and absolutely repugnant. However, underneath the thick layer of filth and perversion a current of 'beauty' occasionally appears. Or is that simply the result of a dying brain easing the transition from life to death by filling itself up with DMT? Who knows? Anyway, pseudo-scientific ramblings of a bloody amateur aside, Enveloped In A Diseased Abyss is one addictive hell of a ride.