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Band: Zoloft Evra
Album title: Murder Chamber
Release date: 4 November 2016
Label: Frozen Light
Tracklist:
01. Razors Deepthroat
02. Murder Chamber
03. Krokodil Death Ride
04. Deadlife Obedience
05. Cold Hypnotic Bloodbath
06. The Screaming Wall
Zoloft Evra, based out of Rome, Italy and Bergen, Norway, cross several genres with their sound which they call negative drone ambient. It is a fitting classification for this group which delves into so many sub-genres including dark industrial, dark ambient, death industrial and drone. The use of several guests throughout the album adds even more variation and complexity to their sound. The music conjures varied feelings with its subject matter including themes like sadism, drug abuse, and sexual games.
Starting not so long ago in 2015, Zoloft Evra released their first album, Negative Infliction Pleasure on Naked Lunch Records. Negative Infliction Pleasure carried many similarities to Murder Chamber, but the drones carried more weight on that debut, taking on a much greater presence. The distorted guitars and agonizing screams were also present. While Negative Infliction Pleasure was an enjoyable album, Zoloft Evra have improved on their sound in every conceivable way with Murder Chamber. The sounds are more refined, less reliant on drone, and cross into greater varied territories.
Even now they continue to hone in on their true sound as they have recently (after the release of Murder Chamber) brought in a new full-time member, Cory Rowell, whom was featured on the opening track, "Razors Deepthroat". "Razors Deepthroat" sends listeners straight down the rabbit hole. We are immediately plunged into some sadistic and perverse torture chamber. Yet, much like the album as a whole, the theme is varied, bringing in the sounds of Caitlin Dituro. She writhes and screams in her tortured lust, exuding equal parts pleasure and pain.
A stand-out track on the album is "Krokodil Death Ride". It starts off with a contorted heart-beat and the groans of Blackfrost. As the distortions fade in we hear a drug addicted female junkie asking for a shot to get her fix. She is answered by several passages of horrific citations by BlackFrost which bring to mind the magnificent vocals of dark industrial act Test Dept. from the mid 80s tracks like "Corridor Of Cells". These disturbing vocals matched with perfectly executed death industrial style noise on "Krokodil Death Ride" draw the listener ever deeper into the filthy halls of some rotting and abandoned factory.
After the devastation of the previous track, we are taken in another surprising direction. "Deadlife Obedience" has the most structured sound on the album. The track drags us in with a delayed and distorted guitar strumming by full-time member Cold. We are then blasted by the angelic yet simultaneously demonic and tortured vocal screams of their guest vocalist, Tenebra, from Dreariness.
Having described only a few of the more active and varied tracks on Murder Chamber, listeners will find that the entire album holds enough sadistic revelries and death cult prophecies to keep us entertained for its entirety. This is a tortured and often distorted set of soundscapes. Yet, their is a deliberate dark beauty to Murder Chamber which cannot be denied. This is one of the more interesting albums in recent years to incorporates distorted guitars and vocals throughout their tracks. I would recommend Murder Chamber especially to fans of the death industrial acts of Malignant Records like Steel Hook Prostheses and especially Körperwelten for its blatant sexual tensions and tortures. This young career of Zoloft Evra is still only beginning its path, one which should continue for years to come.
Review by: Michael Barnett
Rating: 8/10
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