Striborg — Autumnal Melancholy

Sin Nanna and his project Striborg have always been one of the more acquired taste with in black metal with his experimental boarding on amateurish in places playing, strange sonic twist ‘n’ turns, ultra lo-fi recordings and of course his hugely prolific nature- around 2 to 3 albums a year seemingly. Autumnal Melancholy is a less acquired taste, a more polished and accessible Striborg album but with out losing much of inventive and experimental twists on Black metal which makes this wholly his own dark and strange world.

It all starts it’s bleak and creative path with The Crying Mirror with it’s wonderful sinister and airless doom synth sub-stains and growing dread, unlike a lot of Black Metal artists Striborg has the ability to make synth and atmospheric instrumental pieces that stand on their own instead of just introductions and of course there damn eerier and creepy too. On track three As a Hermit Hiding in the Trance of Night some of The Crying mirror dread filled airless vibe is re-visited with this hovering warberling doomy synth element that wonders like a lost ghostly voice over the slow yet darkly harmonic blacked guitar crawl. Later on the synth becomes like the wind whistling through the barren blacked trees of the riffs discordant and blacked beautiful vibe- all making a memorable and atmospheric track from end to end. Track four Oppressive Silence stands as one of Striborg most accomplished  goosebumps inducing piece of eerier ambience thus far- it’s built around these simple yet very effective, held and drifting slightly & wavering in tone synth melodies that really does paint such a desperate and black vibe- I could really see this been used in on one of David lynch’ s pitch black and emotional draining film moments.

The next long and guitar based track is the title track which starts off with a darkened and fuzzed up almost country doom wondering- like a more feed back and jittery version of recent Earth. Before pick up pace and switching tone to blacked  metal guitar riffing with clear and surprisingly tuneful guitar elements over the top. And  of course Sin Nanna great, sometimes doubled up vocal growl and perching shout. Later on his vocals really take on very un-nerving bark that seems to ring right through your being. Though out his vocals are highly impressive and unvering as Sin Nanna never stays with just one type of black metal Shriek or growl he always trying to be as creative and un-nerving as possible.

Really I could go on and on as each track has it’s interesting, creative and atmospheric facet that sets it apart and above most Black metal- really if you’ve never entered Striborg world before this is a great and consistent doorway in or if you’ve heard albums in the past and been put off but liked elements of his work I’m sure you’ll really enjoy this.