Abolishing consciousness.
For the uninitiated, the term “bedroom black metal” probably reads as being derogatory. I must stress that it’s absolutely not – much like beer, there is much charm to home-brewed black metal. The tradition embraces every aspect, particularly the lo-fi production, DIY aesthetics, and that pointed misanthropic, nihilistic energy. It often it hits better than the equivalent stage production might, so it’s very interesting to me that we now get to see an example of exactly that transition.
Depressive/atmospheric black metal project The Sun’s Journey Through The Night is fittingly named, as their atmospheres invoke the cosmic, black, and suffocating expanses of an uncaring universe. Although their new album Worldless is one of many releases by the project (the sixth LP since 2019), it’s a particularly significant release, as documents the band becoming a four piece live band, as opposed to a one man studio project. This step out of the bedroom studio and into the limelight has already elevated their status, going straight to a tour with Spectral Wound and a range of festivals (including Damnation later this year). Unfortunately, Worldless hasn’t impressed me, particularly relative to the project’s initial material, but there’s plenty to consider here for fans of depressive and atmospheric black metal.
First and foremost, the studio treatment gives this project a completely new state of being. The winner of the mix is the vocals as No One’s vocals now feel unique within the scene. His delivery is the best part, as he continually throws his voice to dramatically strained heights, passing on a certain agony. Single “Void Walker” is the best example of these great vocals, and is also the strongest track overall, with ending track “Orion” a close second.
The all-important part of a black metal mix is the ensemble of the guitars and drums, and this band now sounds powerful and pummelling. The snare beatdown is oppressive, although the drums do feel somewhat dry against the backdrop the guitars. Much of the riff-to-riff songwriting on Worldless is sufficient, but unmemorable. It’s trem-blasts till kingdom come, but you’ll pick up on a few passages and transitions. Title track “Worldless” is perhaps the exception, as it has some interesting motions with its tom groove atmospheric mid-section and tempo-draining ending.
Worldless has plenty of quiet moments, but they all have me pining for the atmospheric moments in the band’s past catalogue. The interlude “Grief, The Star” is a vestige of their old ways, with its space-like strings and chilling sample. This kind of “black ambient” or “wintersynth” was more fully explored on 2021’s Veiled Beneath The Shroud of Grief & Misery and really does lose some lustre when processed at a higher fidelity. “Void Walker”’s acoustic introduction, not appearing on the single, was a good opportunity to present a melodic counterpart to a dark song, but the whispered vocals come across as unconfident. Later on, “Flood of Flames” does have a nice outro with glittery guitars swelling into cosmic mist. The most debated moment of Worldless could be “Orion”’s mid-section interlude with its classical instrumentation; for me, it’s a corny moment that snuffs out the spacious, cosmic vibe, just as the record should be coming to an explosive end.
From a listener’s perspective, seeing an artist evolve for the better can be bittersweet. It could be something as simple as improving their gear, or something life changing, like ditching toxic people or patterns of their past. As listeners with specific interests, tastes, and experiences, it’s possible, even likely, that these changes don’t result in better music to our own ears. I’m certainly disappointed that the material on Worldless has done so little for me, particularly because it’s the start of a “proper” band with increased collaboration. An unfortunate tendency on this record is keeping all the “full band” moments at maximum volume, leaving all the dynamic work to the interludes. The result is a project that is fairly effective yet struggles to fully impress in either mode. I do hope to see them perform live, where their stage presence and careful use of their black ambient interludes should overcome the missed opportunities of this record.
5.5/10
Worldless is the new album from The Sun’s Journey Through The Night, and releases through Church Road Records on the 28th July. You can pre-order the record here (UK, EU, or US) and also through their Bandcamp here.