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Skaldic Curse – Hated By Matter Itself
Skaldic Curse – Hated By Matter Itself
Demo – Self Released 2002
By Russell Garwood
Skaldic Curse came into being in 2001, formed from the remains of several earlier bands. Since then the band have supported acts like Cathedral and Akercocke, and had a feature in Terrorizer magazine. A five piece, the band comprises vocalist Woundz, guitarists VX and Astynax, Monolith on bass and drummer Theutus. Their music is a form of extreme black metal, dark and nihilistic with (to quote the band) “twisted, deranged elements.
The vocals are more guttural than the average black metal witch-screech (while definitely in no way related to death growls), and at times they remind me of Khanate’s and Darkthrone’s vox. The guitars have sporadic discords which create a claustrophobic feel, yet despite their ferocity can be surprisingly melodic. The rare non-distorted sections provide lamenting tunes which act as a respite from the darker loathing in most other sections. The drums are proficient and support the music well, while the bass is further back in the mix.
With only three tracks, “Hated By Matter Itself” is a short release. Opener “Bleakness Panoramic” lives up to its name, the blast-driven rhythm section and screams cover little of the pitch-black, melodic guitars. “Drowning In Emptiness” has more of a jumping, full-on feel, with a slow section halfway through in which guitars wail above Woundz’s almost chilling screams. The song ends as it began, leading into the nine minute onslaught that is “Chimeral Streams”. A non-distorted section halfway fragments the brutality of the song, but this break is short-lived.
“Hated By Matter Itself” was recorded at Gelert Studios, Suffolk. The production could be better – the instruments are poorly defined and everything sounds slightly fuzzy. This could easily be deliberate, however, and shouldn’t cause a problem (especially to fans of old-school black metal). Skaldic Curse show promising talent, aided by the fact that relatively few new bands play their form of music. “Hated By Matter Itself” will be welcomed by those looking for brutality and violence in a style other than death, as well as for fans of traditional black.
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