Agonanist made a strong statement with its 2020 full length The Cynicism of Solitude, which followed up a split with Voidcraeft from three years earlier. Formed as a solo effort by California based Tyler Henthorn, Agonanist focused on microtonal arrangements and dissonant black metal that at times touched upon the whirlwind of riffing like bands like Krallice and Deathspell Omega, but there were also periods of calm that had more of a haunting, unsettling tone. Six years after The Cynicism of Solitude, Agonanist returns with The Spirit of Gravity and things have gotten denser and even more twisted. The blasting, whirlwind riffing is even murkier and layered than before, and the slower parts now have a depressive vibe that feels like its pulling you into sheer darkness. It’s a lot to take in, but those that like the denser, dissonant side of black metal will find that this album gets under your skin quickly and doesn’t let up.
“Effacement” makes for a strong first impression, as upon pressing play you’re immediately smacked in the face with dense layers of riffs and blasting drums, and the way the microtones is leveraged makes for an immediately hypnotic and tense effect. The way that the riffs ebb and flow on this track during both the fast and mid-tempo section gives the sensation of being dragged into a tar pit, or falling down a deep, dark hole, but around the two-minute mark there are brighter flourishes that give off more of a psychedelic and mysterious tone. As you make your way through more of The Spirit of Gravity it becomes clear that there are two main ways that Agonanist frames its warped riffs and nightmarish atmosphere. The first is through a maelstrom of controlled chaos on tracks like “Cry of Cages” and “For Mia”, where the instrumentals seem to collapse into each other and then reform in more jagged and unexpected ways. Sometimes the tonality keeps more of black metal’s coldness, but there is also a machinelike industrial pulse at work, reminding me of both Krallice and Behold…the Arctopus, which is appropriate considering Colin Marston mixed and mastered the album plus he contributes some guest keyboards. On the other end of the spectrum you have slow tracks like “The Gateway” where the notes twist and break in ways that make it sound like you’re trapped in a recurring nightmare or damp, unlit dungeon, and the effect is similar to early Xasthur as well as Moon (Australia). Agonanist does a great job at balancing these bludgeoning, whirlwind moments with the slower, tension filled ones, and with the ever-versatile Kevin Paradis on drums this time around there’s a level of precision to the attack that makes a big difference. Closing track “Collapse” is also appropriately named, as it kicks off with very shrill and hypnotic riffing that drops out around the halfway mark in favor of looming synths and bursts of industrial sounding electronics. It’s not as outright abrasive as the rest of the material, but is just as effective in weaving this sense of dread and despair, and the effect reminds me of the same imagery as some of those movies where people get pulled into their television as the static surrounds them.
Ripped to Shred’s Andrew Lee is once again back on vocals on The Spirit of Gravity, but his performance is so distorted and covered in effects that the uninitiated may not know it’s him behind the mic. Lee showcases his versatility as a vocalist throughout Agonanist’s work, as right from the start of “Effacement” things come through as a much uglier and abrasive scream/yell that blends in with the layers of dissonance and noise. The way Lee’s voice reverberates off the recording gives off a similar effect as Steve Peacock’s work with Spirit Possession, letting the screams have this ominous, ghastly presence that weaves in and out of the material. Marston’s work on The Spirit of Gravity plays a big role here, as it places the vocals right in the middle of everything rather than setting them higher up, letting the two elements feed off each other and up the intensity. I think if Lee had overpowered the instrumentals some of the finer details of the guitar and bass work might have gotten lost, so this really made a big difference for me.
The tonality and denseness of this album isn’t going to be for everyone, but if you’re a fan of some of the more experimental black metal like Jute Gyte or bleak, depressive acts like Xasthur there’s plenty here that will draw you back. Agoanist’s ability to cycle and reform riffs creates this chaotic and hypnotic approach that also feels as bleak as it comes, and it’s drawn me back to try and peel back more of the layers with each listen. It’s exciting to hear how much Henthorn’s writing has evolved from one album to another, which makes me think by the time number three comes around things will be twisted and transformed even more. The Spirit of Gravity is available from Transylvanian Recordings.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg