NEKRASOV / MOON (AUS) / NEKROS MANTEIA - 3-Way Split CD

THE HAUNTING RESONANCE - 3-Way Split

From the burgeoning Australian label Fall Of Nature comes this brilliant 3-way split of projects from down under, and when I say ‘down under’, I don’t just mean in location, but spiritually. This is about as bleak, and depressing as it gets. This is a concept album of sorts, as stated in the liner notes it’s “regarding the subject matter of ghosts, spirits, phantoms” and what would their relationships be to one another if all life on earth ended. With a few intense listens, I began to have a pretty good idea.

Kicking off the disc is Nekrasov with “That Which Hunts…”. This track begins ethereal with strange synths and then I was slammed with industrialized blast beats hard enough to make me jump in my chair. This track takes Burzum-esque BM and bits of Noise, meshes them together and makes something raw and ugly. Around the ¼ mark it becomes a different song completely. Gothic keyboards loop and twists for the remainder as something dark and slithering occasionally rears it’s head. It’s cinematic a bit unsettling.

Next is “Forgotten Spirits” from Moon. Now this one takes a more traditional approach using elements of atmospheric Black Metal in the Lurker Of Chalice vein and throwing in some old school industrial type metallic percussion. Imagine standing in some 13th century cathedral while a munitions factory pounded out product next door. Darker than the previous track, this one definitely puts the haunt in haunting, although the chaotic ending is a nice touch.

Lastly is Nekros Manteia with “The Final Ghost”. Now this one is the jewel of the disc for me, not that the others are lesser, but for personal tastes this one really shines. There’s an almost seventies prog rock spacey-ness to this one that you wouldn’t expect. Amazing guitar acrobatics are lain over jazzy drums and underneath it all a weird, droning electronic score. About midway through the track it takes on this killer, sludgy, Doom edge. It all comes back full circle with more incredible guitar work. I was surprised to find upon reading the insert that those come courtesy of Bonnie Mercer from the Grey Daturas!! Fantastic track and a fitting end.

This one is limited to 500 copies and comes in standard jewel case packaging with creepy artwork. Available direct from the label or at several fine distros around the world. - Plague Haus