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░ ██ ██ Artist: Ov Hollowness ██ ██
▓ █░░ ■█ Album: The World Ends █■ ░░█
■ █▓▀ █ Year: 2013 █ ▀▓█ ░
█ ▓ Rel. Date: 2016-03-26 ▓ █
▒ ▒ Genre: Black Metal ▒ ▒
█▄ ░ Label: Code666 Records ░ ▄█
░ █▄ ░ Source: CD ░ ▄█
░ █▓ Type: Album ▓█ ░
▓ █ Quality: VBR, 44.1kHz, Joint Stereo █ ░ ▓
▓ █ █ ░ ▓
▄ ■ ■ ▓ ■
░█ █░ ▀
█ Atmospheric black metal from Canada. █
█ █
█ The World Ends in 2013 û at least this is what █
█ EdmontonÆs Ov Hollowness claims on their latest █
█ album. This is not a bald suggestion, but an █
█ absolute, extreme and fatal statement. Third █
█ installment in Ov HollownessÆ discography, The █
█ World Ends reads like the logical follow up to █
█ Diminished (2010) and Drawn to Descend (2011). █
█ Mark R., mastermind behind the entity, is a busy █
█ man, and his latest offspring is nothing but █
█ monumental. █
█ The title is proverbial, and so is the music. Ten █
█ songs, 73 minutes; longer, more complex than the █
█ previous albums, and thicker in production. From █
█ the arrangements to the songs order, everything █
█ seems precisely calculated, as if it was fomented █
█ and planned carefully, written and rewritten a █
█ dozen times until full satisfaction. In fact, █
█ there are no weak songs, and they all have a █
█ personality of their own, from the aggressiveness █
█ and bleakness of ôGreyö to the pale rays of light █
█ of ôOvö. █
█ Ov Hollowness bears characteristics of pagan and █
█ black metal, but honestly it is in a category of █
█ its own. On The World Ends, we find ourselves in a █
█ distant realm, at the edge of Armageddon. It is █
█ obviously a personal view of things and we are █
█ left alone, in solitude, wandering through the █
█ vestiges of a defunct universe, trying to find a █
█ shelter from something we canÆt escape. Coldness █
█ is a key element here û I donÆt mean another snow █
█ or winter theme û but coldness resulting from █
█ isolation into darkness: we feel it through the █
█ strong winds samples (first song and outro) to the █
█ reverb of the guitars and drums, and the black █
█ metal vocals. The music contains atmospheric █
█ qualities, but itÆs more in the end result than in █
█ the actual textures. It is as fast as black metal, █
█ as diverse as an Hypocrisy album, and as polished █
█ as any big death metal bandÆs production. From a █
█ distance, its take on black metal could almost be █
█ compared to Canadians Woods of Ypres and █
█ Sig:Ar:Tyr. █
█ In terms of influences, it bears strong █
█ similarities with IrelandÆs Primordial (ôThe World █
█ Endsö), or with UkraineÆs Raventale (ôHoarfrostö, █
█ ôHollowö), two bands that range from fast, █
█ repetitive drum patterns, to minimalistic and █
█ atmospheric riffs. Ov Hollowness blends the two █
█ together with great ease, making the album deep █
█ and dynamic. █
█ Steadiness is the key. While the songs vary in █
█ tempo, each of them is thoughtfully crafted. The █
█ music is so perfectly executed that we can almost █
█ hear the click and the mechanical nature of the █
█ programmed drums. This rigid structure obviously █
█ helps straightening the whole thing: for example, █
█ the guitars arenÆt the organic, uneven picking of █
█ Norwegian ôtrueö black metal, but the precise, █
█ rehearsed and perfected guitars recorded in a █
█ (home?) studio. There are a few welcome surprises █
█ in terms of vocals, ranging from clean singing █
█ (ôAbstractionö, ôThe World Endsö ôEnd in Viewö), █
█ ôhummmsö (ôHoarfrostö, ôOvö), and spoken passages █
█ (ôAn Endö). █
█ There is a strong consistency (or laziness, you █
█ choose) of thoughts put in the lyrics as well. Not █
█ only three songs contain the word ôendö, but there █
█ is also a great deal of ôhollownessö and other █
█ keywords throughout. Not surprisingly, the █
█ perspective comes from oneself, introspectively: █
█ ôIÆm fallingàö, ôI feel so beatenö, ôI have lost █
█ my placeö. █
█ ôThe world ends / Just as it begun / Ever-Present █
█ hollowness / To destroy and to revealö. █
█ If the world is to end, this album is an excellent █
█ soundtrack. It also is the best Ov Hollowness █
█ album so far. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ As clichΘ and worn out as the trend of one man █
█ black metal projects is, it just doesnÆt seem to █
█ be going away. These solitary souls run the gamut █
█ from depressive, suicidal fare to some of the most █
█ melodic and symphonic offerings in the genre, so █
█ you never quite know what youÆre going to get █
█ sonically û not to mention production-wise. So IÆm █
█ always a bit hesitant when I read about a release █
█ from one of these bedroom BM endeavors, as the █
█ image of an antisocial, ProTools wielding Xasthur █
█ clone immediately pops up. And having the f-v █
█ substitution in your name doesnÆt do much to quell █
█ uneasiness. █
█ But what I found in Ov HollownessÆ third █
█ full-length was a refreshing sojourn into the █
█ genreÆs more digestible side, and itÆs clear main █
█ man Mark R. has studied his compatriots closely █
█ and done what he can to overcome their weaknesses. █
█ The World Ends is unique in that itÆs black metal █
█ more in aesthetic than in execution. Sure, the █
█ rasps and tremolos are certainly present but itÆs █
█ clear the project isnÆt limiting itself to any █
█ strict definitions. The foremost difference is the █
█ clarity and depth of the production, one thatÆs █
█ absolutely massive when compared to just about █
█ every other lone wolf project. With a wall of █
█ thick guitars that never lets up and low end █
█ almost worthy of a Devin Townsend album, Mr. R. █
█ clearly pens his tracks with the recording process █
█ in mind. ItÆs easy to dock points for fairly █
█ typical programmed drums, but theyÆre subtle and █
█ low enough in the mix to put the focus elsewhere █
█ and donÆt distract from the overall atmosphere. █
█ And atmosphere is something thereÆs plenty of, █
█ with each instrument standing powerfully on its █
█ own and creating a broad and dynamic listening █
█ experience as MarkÆs voice ranges from bombastic █
█ to grim. You never know what youÆre going to get █
█ with each song, itÆs an album that loves keeping █
█ you on your toes and constantly surprises and █
█ intrigues. The titular track has a particularly █
█ epic feel, doing away with any sort of kvlt █
█ intentions and bringing to mind recent Primordial █
█ efforts being played with a heavy metal sentiment; █
█ wonderful chugging abounds. █
█ The album is strong, but a few missteps hold back █
█ its effectiveness and make you wonder if a few █
█ other decision makers added to the mix wouldnÆt █
█ help, but such is the price of working alone. The █
█ finale of ôAbstractiveö is confounding, coming to █
█ an end only to start up again then awkwardly fade █
█ out a minute later. And having a long, ambient █
█ outro isnÆt necessarily a bad thing but when itÆs █
█ simply samples thrown together and given the name █
█ ôOutroö it essentially tells listeners not to █
█ bother with it. But in retrospective those █
█ book-ended gripes are minor and far enough apart █
█ to give them a pass when reflecting on this █
█ powerful and varied release from CanadaÆs newest █
█ BM force. The World Ends is a worthy addition to █
█ the one man black metal grimoire, standing above █
█ the rest by breaking molds. █
█ █
█ --- █
█ █
█ The world ends à now à today à tomorrow à or █
█ later. Who knows. Buy this CD. Buy ôThe World █
█ Endsô, because the world ends à sort of. Maybe it █
█ is an inexplicable antidote? Hell knows. Titles █
█ are a strange thing and can be the most confusing █
█ aspect of an album. They create a first focal █
█ point, set the stage for the things to come. In █
█ terms of this Canadian band this aspect is pretty █
█ clear. █
█ Well, despite a somewhat depressive undertone and █
█ certain references to this branch of the black █
█ metal genre, such can hardly be found on this █
█ recording. The band continues in concept, style █
█ and sound where they have left off with their █
█ previous recording. These facets are the stepping █
█ stones which had been used again and again as a █
█ foundation for a mixture of depressive and █
█ atmospheric black metal. Music that meanders █
█ between melancholic and aggressive moments, █
█ attempts to combine harsh and clean vocals as well █
█ as a drum-computer, whose programming leaves not █
█ much to be desired; real drums are always █
█ preferred though. █
█ The band has grown over the years and this can be █
█ best examined in the way the songs had been █
█ arranged. There is complexity, there is enough █
█ variation to keep up the attention and even though █
█ the basic setting is nothing new, it does not come █
█ over as unnecessarily overdone or plain. Black █
█ metal is in the core essence of the performance █
█ and the guitars are the driving element in the █
█ compositions. Keyboards can be neglected in their █
█ impact, while the drums merely add some basic █
█ dynamics. All is fine in this regard à but it is █
█ the vocals that push it into a different direction █
█ and the title track is the best example in this █
█ regard. An otherwise considerably heavy concept █
█ receives a push out of the rather limited spectrum █
█ towards something broader and more fascinating. █
█ The music feels more intense and more atmospheric █
█ once this play between the facets begins to █
█ unravel. Even though their total impact is limited █
█ to a few compositions it feels like they are an █
█ essential part of the concept and cannot be left █
█ out of it. While the solo parts of the guitars fit █
█ into the overall flow of the music quite easily, █
█ those clean vocals create a stark contrast; █
█ despite some slight flaws in placing them a bit █
█ too much in the background at times. █
█ But maybe the most interesting aspect of it all is █
█ their actual existence. Ov Hollowness' music has a █
█ distinct kind of flow to it. There are no samples █
█ to interrupt it, the breaks are generally short, █
█ keyboard interludes do also not pose a threat, █
█ whereas the clean vocals actually help to break it █
█ a bit. Maybe this is also due to the way they █
█ appear and that their part does not come over as █
█ having been brought to full fruition; something █
█ that leaves a slightly bitter taste. Or maybe the █
█ band should create a bit more contrasts in the █
█ future, push the listener into more directions and █
█ increase the intensity through this kind of to and █
█ fro. It is difficult to have a definite opinion on █
█ this aspect. While it is nice to experience a █
█ performance, whose breadth indicates some kind of █
█ awareness of the limits of this genre and style, █
█ while an actual exploration of these new realms █
█ might help to let the band drift away from their █
█ roots. Should they move away a bit further still? █
█ Time will tell ... █
█ It is the flow of the music, the flow of the █
█ arrangements and the certainly in the concept that █
█ makes it somewhat easy to enjoy the performance. █
█ With only occasional bursts of aggressive black █
█ metal, the overall emphasis is on a dense █
█ atmosphere, whose play of the elements is not on █
█ such a level that it would demand the immediate █
█ and continuous attention of the listener. Even the █
█ dominance of the melancholy is not of a kind that █
█ feels like a burden. Maybe it would be possible to █
█ state that Ov Hollowness even attempt to mock it a █
█ bit. Some riffs have a rather playful touch and █
█ point into a less bleak realm of the human psyche. █
█ If you happen to enjoy the previous recordings, █
█ then the changes are pretty high that ôThe World █
█ Endsö will also please you. It is easy to look █
█ beyond the most obvious flaws and shortcomings on █
█ this release, which are due to the fact that there █
█ is only one person behind this project. Yet what █
█ needs to be emphasized in this regard is the way █
█ that the drum-computer had been programmed. █
█ Contrary to what a lot of other bands tend to █
█ ôofferö to the listener, this band from Canada █
█ actually went to considerable lengths in getting █
█ the style and dynamics done right. No pointless █
█ and endless barrages of blast beats or simplistic █
█ snare drum patterns. Instead the attempt to █
█ combine the guitars and the percussions can be █
█ found throughout the entire album. █
█ It seems the band longs for a more complex █
█ exploration of their concept, sound and style. █
█ Even though this would be their third album █
█ already, it does not come over as definite, as █
█ something that feels fixed and without prospect █
█ for the future. New elements have been added, █
█ while others have faded a bit in impact. █
█ Therefore, from a broader point of view it is a █
█ really good and enjoyable release. █
▓ ▓
▒ ▒
░ 1. Abstraction 9:11 ░
░ 2. Grey 5:47 ░
░ 3. Hoarfrost 8:29 ░
░ 4. An End 4:24 ░
░ 5. Ov 7:19 ░
░ 6. The World Ends 10:04 ░
░ 7. Lost Resolve 6:42 ░
░ 8. Hollow 8:03 ░
░ 9. End in View 7:09 ░
░ 10. Outro 6:00 ░
░ 73:08 ░
░ ▒ ▒
▓ █ ░ ▓ ░
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