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Band: Mesarthim
Album title: Pillars [EP]
Release date: 31 March 2016
Label: Avantgarde Music
Tracklist:
01. Pillars
02. Orbiting
03. 11
04. Constellation
One of the greatest discoveries for me in the musical fields this year so far is undoubtedly the Australian duo Mesarthim. The mysterious act is a web/studio project only and the names of musicians are unknown. The two musicians took the name for the band from the star which is of obscure origin, is readily visible to the naked eye and makes this the fourth brightest member of Aries. Until now the band in a short period of time released one album, Isolate, initially as a digital self-release in 2015 and soon were discovered by Italian label Avantgarde Music who re-released it on physical editions in the beginning of this year. The album was followed by a single "Suffocate" and now by this mini album/EP titled Pillars, which features four tracks of pure sonic extravaganza with playing time of approximately 37 minutes.
Mesarthim enthused and shocked the black metal scene with their own brand of atmospheric or so called cosmic/space black metal on their debut album, but not only, you will find in there several elements, ranging from dsbm to symphonic, from blackgaze to electronic and yet much more, everything perfectly arranged and composed into one well flowing mass of sound that takes the listener into the galaxies unknown. After listening to the debut album and when the label announced new music from them I was completely in expectations. Now, if Mesarthim didn't even land on this earth yet, they went even further into the vast space, into complete darkness, inhospitability,... where pain, beauty and wonder is primal, where names are peripheral, where imagination is essential, where dreams come true and chains are broken.
On Pillars the two Australians developed further their vision of atmospheric/dark/space extreme art, they added even more electronics into it if compared to the debut album, the sound this way became a bit less aggressive, but more ambiental. Musically the sound of Mesarthim has its basis in post-black and blackgaze, but the extensive use of sparkling electronics that sometimes crosses the borders of trance, but as well of synthpop or even EBM, makes everything so very special, but still, don't be afraid of it as the sound gets in this way kind of a mystical hint that gets its peak in so very soul moving melodies and heart breaking black metal kind of vocals/shrieks full of pain and depression giving shivers down your spine while adding that necessary dose of darkness and sense of inner isolation. Just listen how strong and emotive everything is in "Orbiting" or even a bit playful in "11". Those gloomy ambiances created by keys are from another dimension, but in perfect agreement with compressed guitars and tight rhythmic lines. Everything is so very well balanced and singular, often semi paced, but going also into slower, lets say doomier orientation. The tracks are somehow linear, but still Mesarthim know how to intensify the ambiance with many mood changes and crescendos that often lead the way into some kind of climax.
The pathos of the tracks is unbeliveable and believe me that if you'll close your eyes and put your headphones on you'll be taken on a journey which might never end. It's so very addictive, haunting, especially the two epic tracks, the opener "Pillars" and "11". Mesarthim are not afraid to insert some ambiental parts, like for example in the closing part of "Constellation" which in the end goes in complete void and silence. Pillars offers four very unique tracks, even if the elements used are nothing new and the use of those diversities might cause some second thoughts in some of you, but believe me that everything is performed so well that the only consequence is transcendental, rich, yet dense sound and hypnotic multilayered soundscapes that offer nothing but pure joy while immersing yourself into this otherworldly sonic mass.
Review written by: T.V.
Rating: 9/10
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