There are some great bands to hear out of Russia’s label, Satanath, but none of them wowed me quite as much as Dalkhu. This Slovenia-based blackened death metal reigns supreme with both harshness and melody. I came across Descend...Into Nothingness earlier this year, but it got buried in the swarm of emails that came around the same time. Fortunately Satanah contacted me by chance, and finally the opportunity to hear this album in full arose.
The intensity of this record is palpable. From the brutal death growls to the ominous blackened death riffs, this is metal heavy enough for the underground, but easy to swallow for the more mainstream Behemoth crowd. These are some truly guttural grunts, but not ever a caricature. No joviality will be found within these 7 performances. They have presence and can be taken seriously. Only the strong will survive.
Guitars have a somewhat folky, Viking feel a la Amon Amarth or early Enslaved. The presentation is just a bit more forlorn. These warriors are riding to kill. There will be no celebration of victory. No songs will be sung of heroic exploits. Jangly high-end tremolo, crunching chords, and some melancholy interludes are a warning cry to all in Dalkhu’s path. The clangy bass and endless pounding of bass and snare compliment eachother well, creating a sense of immediacy.
Tracks like ”In the Woods” feature a more melodic side, but even these alternate between slow, meandering depression and harrowing battle charges. “Distant Cry” has a simple, but extremely catchy riff that fuses Melechesh with Abyssal. In fact, there are quite a few nice little hooks woven throughout this album that will linger with you long after the ash settles. Ghosts of the fallen.
If you were craving something equal parts brutal and contemplative, look no further. Descend...Into Nothingness is 45 minutes of pure blackened death just the way we like it. On August 15 you can name your price for something that is worth every dollar you choose to spend. It’s the hoard for hire. Kill or be killed