When it comes to music that’s black metal adjacent, the Dutch scene continues to write some of the more adventurous material out there. For some bands, their earlier work was more rooted in black metal’s traditions before expanding on later releases, but on the opposite end of the spectrum are artists like Ainsoph. Ainsoph debuted with Ω – V in 2020, weaving together post metal, post punk, and a number of other genres with black metal. The material gave the band a unique feel even at this early stage, and five years later they have expanded upon that with Affection & Vengeance. This new album goes for a fuller, bolder sound that encapsulates the music in a dreamlike haze, but it’s also fused together the worlds of gothic, post punk, and black metal more seamlessly than before.
There’s still quite a bit of black metal to the instrumentation on Affection & Vengeance, but that’s only scratching the surface of what the album has to offer. Ainsoph makes this clear by waiting until the second song for some of the blast beats to surface, as opener “Cowardice” opts for an airier tone that feels somewhere between post punk and gothic rock. There’s an ebb and flow to the instrumentation that creates a warm, dreamlike haze, but this is interrupted right at the end by a shift over to a more rock ‘n roll sounding lead and bouncier drum work that provides a sense of playfulness. By the time the blast beats and more jagged elements emerge on “The Beaten Path Made Flesh”, Ainsoph has established a regular back and forth between the hazier, melodic side of their sound and more aggressive one. Each track takes different approaches to how this balance is achieved, but I particularly like “Affection”, “Seven Mouths in the Neck”, and “Purple Curtains” as these have some of the most memorable leads. “Affection” gives off a similar warped, alien feel as fellow Dutch musicians Laster, while “Seven Mouths in the Neck” and some of the other tracks lean heavily into mid-period Killing Joke. Admittedly the haziness of the layers do make some of the details blend together at times, giving some songs a bit less impact than others, but when things reach their peak level Affection & Vengeance is truly stunning.
On the debut the vocals sometimes felt at odds with the instrumentation, as it sometimes felt like they were too far in the background and got overpowered by the rest of the band. That’s not the case here, as there’s just the right amount of separation between the two elements. This allows the singing to soar at times and tower above the shimmering layers, but also take a step back during some of the more subdued moments. The dreamlike tone of the guitar work is enhanced by the singing, as there’s an ethereal quality to them that keeps things warm and inviting for much of the album. It’s a nice contrast to a lot of post black metal adjacent bands where the vocals remain on the harsher, ugly side even as the instrumentals explore brighter textures. But even within this more ethereal sound there are some darker moments, as tracks like “Zeal Like A Timeless Vacuum Made Flesh” have some eerier passages towards the end.
Ainsoph has refined their sound considerably over the past five years, and their sophomore effort reaches some incredible heights because of it. There’s still plenty of genre hopping between the likes of post punk, post metal, black metal, gothic rock, and shoegaze, but the transitions are seamless and the fuller sound gives equal emphasis to the dreamlike and aggressive passages. Admittedly the haziness the record is drenched in does result in some moments blurring together and not having the full impact they could, but these are the exception rather than the rule. Whether you’re a fan of the Dutch atmospheric/post black metal from years past or a post punk/gothic rock fan, Ainsoph has plenty to offer. Affection & Vengeance is available from Wolves of Hades.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg