Shem HaMephorash
A year ago, the Swedish band Mephorash released their 5th album “Krystl-Ah”, and I’m still strangely fascinated by it. After listening to the entire album for the first time, an important question came to mind: had I ever encountered such suspense in a full-length black metal album before? By suspense, I mean its classic definition: creating a situation and tension to the point where the listener’s anticipation becomes overwhelming. Mephorash is full of repetition, never losing an ounce of its sense, excitement, and tension. Mephorash’s music usually begins gradually and incrementally. Given its mystical and ritualistic concept, the music provides an auditory narrative: a soft soundscape and atmospheric space, with different elements gradually added until reaching a peak. Riffs often start with a simple pattern and are repeated, but over time, they grow increasingly complex, creating a sense of tension and excitement with the addition of other instruments and vocals, taking the listener a surreal journey, over and over.
About recording :Krystl-Ah:, the band says: “We shaped this project over four years with all the emotions and challenges—anger, love, hate, tears, sweat, pandemics, and chaos. We have made the decision to try and step away from the commonalities of traditional ‘black metal,’ and have instead sought to find inspiration from the depths within ourselves, making this a work of deep and personal significance for us. It will dive ferociously into a myriad of topics, ranging from the mysteries of the ‘Krystl-AH,’ the gnosis of light, and divine narcissism to tantric sexual magic, and also dive deep into the traumatic and yet blissful events that created the project now known as MEPHORASH.”
Krystl-Ah is a unique experience in black metal, offering something deeper and different from the traditional style. If you haven’t listened yet, I hope these 67 minutes give you a new and distinctive experience.
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