Bahimiron - Southern Nihilizm
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What a glorious mess! Houston’s Bahimiron takes Bathory’s “drenched in reverb” aesthetic to new heights. I can imagine the befuddled recording engineer for Southern Nihilizm (Moribund, 2008): “I can’t turn up the vocal reverb any higher!” “Yes, it’s set at ‘Cathedral 2’.” “Are you sure the drums ‘don’t matter’?” I’m sort of joking about that last one. The drumming, by a certain “Blaash,” isn’t flashy or technical, but he constantly and organically throws in variation underneath standard black metal riffs. At their best, the guitars bore through the earth with grim-faced disgust. Dig that amazing abortion of a solo in “Amongst the Filth”! It makes Kerry King sound like Allan Holdsworth. On top are crazed vocals that run the gamut – screams, shrieks, grunts, growls, howls, you name it. Combined with over-the-top reverb, they form a thick, slime-like texture. Screamin’ Jay Hawkins – perhaps the original black metaller, with his skull and coffin props – comes to mind. Put a spell on you, indeed.
Shattered and Crowned in DeceitAmongst the Filth
