Vehemency (Review is based on the 2009 re-release)

From the first seconds into Absence, it becomes clear that this Belgian act doesn’t try to be most innovative depressive black metal project, that’s for sure. And it’s unfortunate, because I fail to find anything really grabbing from the five tracks provided on Eisenwald’s 2009 re-release of this EP.

The band mostly wanders in mid-tempos, overall atmosphere being murky and sound-wise fuzzy and very modified - especially the vocals that are a wall of distortion, killing all the possible emotion of the original voice. It’s a shame, and I personally think that the guitar sound could do better, too, as it sounds too muffled with modern effects.

The aforementioned unnaturalness is clearly Absence’s weakest link, but there’s something to nag about the compositions, too: while ”Haar Laatste Traan” succeeds in creating an enjoyable desolate atmosphere with synths in prominent role and ”Eindeloos Verval” is at least partially a pretty good calmful track the whole 36-minute package is in general rather infertile, and the two bonus tracks are just earlier demo versions of two of the EP’s songs, so those don’t bring much added value. The sound is more cruel on the demo versions and I find myself digging it better than the effect-filled EP material, nonetheless.

For those who don’t mind unoriginality in their depressive black metal, Absence is recommendable; personally I find it a tad too underwhelming even though it has its moments (I do find myself lost in some sort of trance during ”Eindeloos Verval”). Depressive black metal has seen better releases and I prefer grabbing some Abyssic Hate or Hypothermia from my shelves instead of this, in all honesty.