Virvel av Morkerhatet - Metamorphopsia (2016)

«Metamorphopsia (μεταμόρφωσις — changing, όφις — vision)is a type ofdistorted visionin which a grid of straight lines appears wavy and parts of the grid may appear blank. It is seen as a partial phenomenon in severe myopia, macular choroiditis and in cases of inflammation and detachment of the retina. Treatment should be conformed to the underlying disease» (С) Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary.

… frankly speaking, I was not able to fully understand what is the final meaning of the word "metamorphopsia" in the context of Black Metal music, even after writing a preview on the second album of Ukrainian formation Virvel av Morkerhatet and then having the band completely interviewed without missing questions about the meaning of the album title. It is clear that the musicians are mainly affected abstract and transcendental concepts not moving too far away from immutable and eternal topics like "Chaos", "Death" or "Self-Destruction" and not trying to get into the consideration of the word with its original term, which is medical. Sometimes, it’s easier to convey the true meaning of what’s invested in the work of band to the person (or the whole frenzied crowd of metalheads) through covert and implicit images, while direct and clear message may be perceived by people with perplexity, if they do pay attention to it at all. But to create a kind of monstrous images, instill inhuman fear through the sick view and completely reduce unfortunate man in the whirlpool of total insanity - metamorphopsia quite capable of such, even without the participation of musical instruments themselves. Visual glitches of metamorphopsia can cause nightmarish imagery with poorly distinguishable objects (I’ll remind that poorly differentiated - those that are not under strong light, such as "lamp at close range" or "completely white room with light from all sides") and which, accordingly, are damaging not vision itself, but the mental state of the patient, whereupon the latter ones can equally pray for the treatment and for the complete blindness, so as not to see all these terrible horrors of reality. And then you can’t envy them. Nevertheless, we will take to review the band’s second album «Metamorphopsia» from all possible sides and try to find out whether it is the name of something more than just the name of the second album. And how boring it may seem, but you definitely will not be bored…

But first, I will tell a short reference about Virvel av Morkerhatet becoming, until the release of «Metamorphopsia» on Avantgarde music. Earlier, I said something about these maniacs in preview, but just to make this review having its own "exclusive content" there are also some moments of the history of the band worth to tell about. While working on «Metamorphopsia», it was just three people. THREE. Indeed, Astaroth Merc. was directly involved in the recording of the album, although usually session musicians are not as active, rather than in this particular situation. At the beginning of their career, Astaroth and Howler were the founders of the predecessor of Virvel av Morkerhatet - Den of Winter. But after recording of the debut album, their roads went in different directions (according to rumors, the expense was not pleasant), and they came together only in 2012. And, despite the fact that Astaroth wasn’t related to Virvel av Morkerhatet as he was related to a precursor, he fits the group as a guitarist much better than many other participants, which came during his "absence". The second participant - is Graakh, who is in charge of the bass guitar. He replaced the previous member Daemon on live performances, but came by the way to the rest of the participants, and finally settled down in the team as a full part of it. And the last and most important member - a vocalist Howler. Specifically with him your humble master servant is familiar for a long time and he knows very well how much time and effort Howler spends on his dark matter. Furthermore, Howler owns Black Ambient project Astral Lueur and in addition to writing dark and very mysterious works he brought a lot of non-metal elements in the «Metamorphopsia» making the final product versatile with multiple approaches. And if he knew how to play all the instruments, he would work on all the elements alone. But it is the unity of all band members that puts the last argument on the scales which determine good or bad album we are now estimating. And we will get the answer at the end of our story…

«Metamorphopsia» originates from the first song «Into Saltation ...», which is an introduction to prepare the listener to the arsenal of the other tracks, but also demonstrates very own armory in action. The album generally represents us very clear and crystal legible guitar, despite the chaotic and slightly schizoid distortion periodically audible bass section, and computer drums (of which we talk more later), which are accurate and everywhere in time, but frankly cutting ear. Also, there are various modulations of different samples, giving the musical foundation of all the songs a certain universal, mysterious and attractive confusion. «Weapon to be found only in the mind of man» leads us to a vigorous and tearing to pieces environment arranged in a cold morgue in which more vocal parts are joining previously submitted "arsenal", singing as a ragged and badly different, but very powerful harsh-screaming and clean persistent vocals, which can be heard not less ominous than "scream." In some opuses vocal part are falling in the modulation of altered voice and it’s considerably distorting this drawl "singing", giving it the role of another (this time not musical) instrument - but could be met infrequently. Specifically, in this composition, are also inserted a kind of "anatomy lectures" (or something like that - I can’t judge fully), original sound of which is, apparently, pure and without external changes, but in conjunction with their composition it is hard to discern, because of the abundant and unrestrained playing instruments and it is simply impossible to concentrate on hearing something one. What a party rather attractive compliment, isn’t it? In «Reflexive Transfer of Aether through City Lights» one of the guitars (or possibly both of them) clearly sounds like a kind of living creature that sees distorted and unnatural images wild screams from that and therefore, the overall picture is added with a slight tint of pure insanity that has become the hallmark «Metamorphopsia». The end of this thing is just taking up the path to the next track made as synth passage to escalate the situation, and it looks as if your head is heard synthetic ringing mixed with distant chorus. You're not fucking remembering anything, but it’s not important - the important thing here is the movement further, movement deep into the unhealthy mind... «Theory of Distress View». If you think that VAM has a separate fast and separately slow things, this opinion is totally incorrect, because the participants combine all the variety of rates into a single unit, and it is practically presented in every song - the question is, how often it changes for all songs. The exception is the final song «Withdrawal», made in the dark gothic-melancholic tones with a dose of avant-garde and the whole sound is pretty nice though it’s playing an average steady pace from start to finish, without the constant rise or remission of tempo. In «Metamorphompsia Diagnosis» Scandinavian speed (mostly Swedish and sometimes Norwegian) riffs from times of «Forsaken Hate Sickness» especially heard quite distinctly, which suggests that Ukrainian blackers haven’t fully renounced their past. In the preview we talked about the three parts, which are conditionally divided the album - Swedish fast Black Metal, alchemical and view-intoxicating Avant-Garde Black Metal and chaotic modulations and manipulations with the environment and the atmosphere in general. But if you look at the album during its playback, only the moments in some of the individual things give a very weak line between these parties, and otherwise it is simply washed away - except that only musicians can see the difference more than others. «Dissociative Disorder» in its destructive majesty produces dose of doomed aggression and apathetic fun – but in its certainty and accuracy affected facets, the composition is less dependent from the avant-garde. But «Stupefying Taste of Henbane Coma Ritual» acts just the opposite, turning what was going on into pieces and bringing only the avant-garde abstraction around. Usually, many reviewers compare Virvel av Morkerhatet with Ved Buens Ende, which suggests that avant-garde Black Metal and Ved Buens Ende constitute in fact one and the same, and other paintings simply can’t be drawn. Nevertheless, I believe that in the avant-garde side of the VAM (recall that «Metamorphopsia» is not 100% avant-garde BM) has its roots in very different inspirations, such as Manes, Dødheimsgard, Whirling, Bergraven, Reverence and descendant of Ved Buens Ende - Virus. Although, comparisons between Virvel av Morkerhatet and Ved Buens Ende are not unfounded, they have a place to be and it's not just that both names are made up of three words. It’s just not right to compare everyone with Ved Buens Ende, because it’s not the ideal style. Although, of course, it’s a band that achieved legendary status. «Personification of Adventurer. Overdose » was the first thing we have all heard of the VAM, and the strange fact is its appearance almost towards the end of the album. The highlight of the composition is that at the beginning it seems to us, through a combination of samples, like the picture of the total overdose in the middle of the old apartment with flies and loneliness and then it breaks unhurried motive à la slight feverish frenzy, that is slowly building up a certain emotional side, which culminates in a completely irresponsible state, being the final moment of life before the inevitable death. «Sore Hate of Human Scum» - the last thing on the album, where the essence of the "whirlwind of dark hatred" breaks with all possible and impossible aggression, and does the last click in your brain, after which to take anything with true or false hand is impossible, because there is no "right" or "false" and... actually... there... are… no... concepts. «Withdrawal» significantly relaxes the body and the mind, and it is written above why. I can only add that towards the end of the final composition a synth enters, ending in a dark haze of mawkish light with a "retro" sound and some slight touch of guitars. The finale came where it was needed and I have a lot of fresh sensations like the first time and the 20th time after listening to the album. Now we shall see into the technical part separately.

Speaking about the level and quality of the recording, «Metamorphopsia» is the canonical successor «Forsaken Hate Sickness», although the second album was written from beginning to end entirely in Miasma studio and we can hardly say the same of his successor. But talking about the debut, its reduction was carried out in the «Black Light Studio», where Shaddar (guitarist Semargl and host BLS), while picking up another Black Metal band, was deducing the sound of the album on a juicy, harmonious and a decent standard, but he absolutely wasn’t caring about the development of band’s individual path. And so the debut sound itself is not bad, but many Kiev BM bands of that time have that type of sound and this fact kills the spirit of atypical and original sound. Miasma studio does not stand out as an extensive equipment than the BLS, but applies every effort to work on «Metamorphopsia», not only hard and nimble reducing volatile material in one, and giving sound tools special identity of abstract sacraments without forgetting the importance of a basic instrument and vocals, but also they don’t forget the exquisite features and various inclusions of synth modulations. Astaroth did a good job with his previous work, as for «Metamorphopsia» too. And the rest of the participants are fully investing themselves in the album, unlike previous musicians in the times of the debut album. So «Metamorphopsia» stands out in terms of the sound of guitars, bass, vocals and additional surrounding by its completeness, bringing to mind and determination in all possible aspects. But still recording has lacks of volume and level of «Forsaken Hate Sickness» and that does not speak of it as a clear disadvantage, but as a choice in a way of making favor to experimental sound instead of its high-quality, but absolutely impersonal state. Although in this case Miasma is required to enhance its level of quality in order to achieve "full catharsis" of creations over which the work will be done here. And speaking about the disadvantages, then, that the first eavesdropping that at the 25th, I was wildly annoyed by drums - how fleeting and unfounded they are, just beating crazy and chaotic games and sequences without much depth of sounding. It reminded me of the case of the French C.Y.T., when the same parts played by a live drummer were sounding just unrealistic and outrageous, but it casts doubt on the fact of drummer work as a performer of these parts, at least, the fact that parts of the batch were written separately and at different times, what’s throwing some shade of insolvency on S.Y.T. VAM do not hide the fact that the drums are not real, they were created entirely on the computer, and it can be easily confirmed, even by those who "have no ear for music". And the previous drummer YAR unlikely could repeat this in one sitting. But despite the clear sound and plenty of drum syncopation in structures, drums frankly can’t stand the level of other instruments, and look at the general background like a "toothpick poking around in granite stone." And it's frankly annoys me, especially when the rest of the music is causing pleasurable sensations and emotions. And if you compare it with a similar work on the drums in Diabolicum or DsO, where their synthetic drums erected in the Absolute, then, at least, it should competently and harmoniously enter drums, weaving them into the fabric of the tools, so that they won’t allocate separately on the background of everything else. Band calls their drum parts as an abstraction of typical modern drums, which mostly tend to chip for mass culture than to something different. I agree with this, but, in my opinion, such experiments are absolutely not standable, and after 50th time of listening I’d say that it would be necessary to work more with drums in the future. If it is necessary to experiment then it should be done with the full and absolute embodiment of each aspect of these experiments. And, in addition to minor flaws that I mentioned earlier, this is all I wanted to say about the technical side of the album.

Mentioning the lyrical content of the album, you are unlikely to find at least a line on the booklet of «Metamorphopsia», because this time Howler did not officially publish the lyrics wherever else. At the same time, as I mentioned earlier, to make the lyrics as "notes" for the main and backing vocals – that’s not the most important kind of fate, whichHowler defines for lyrical content. But, in contrast to the debut album where the texts or even a hint of them were not in sight, here you have to literally decipher the "promise" by the images in the booklet, or to listen to what specifically vocalist is singing. As for self-will, errors or the presence of true rhyme - without the lyrics in front of my eyes, I can’t talk with certainty about this.

But as for the booklet and its individual images, the conversation on this subject will be long. Relatively speaking, the album art is composed of two parts – panels of digipack and booklet itself, which together appear as a serious work, performed by a great artist (and also the author of art to HV) - Noir Soufre. Let’s start with digipack of «Metamorphopsia». The background that looks like a human muscle tissue and glands with a grim mixture of gray and dark turquoise colors literally permeates the entire outside of the digipack and appears as a logical addition to the main idea of the release. But as for the master image, it shows a human face, which opens itself with its own hands from the eyes to the mouth, like the petals of flowers in the early morning. The man's face completely gray and lifeless, and facial features can’t stand out against the general or external angles. Because the main thing is not the face or any third-party components, but what is shown from the depths of his mouth - "third" eye, which is a clear way of our absolutely non-physical (spiritual) perception of another world. Dark liquid comes from it in all directions showing us what kind of vision "Metamorphopsia" spoiled (or healed). The album title is written vertically, on the left side of the main art and the logo of the band - on the right. Logo - is a separate issue, and on the main cover of it is presented in a somewhat abbreviated form (according to other sources this "stripped down" version is nothing other than the emblem of the band that can accommodate all of it in a simple and understandable figure): eye, syringe and band initials. And on the disc we can see full logo with the full name of the band. On the back (reverse) side of digipack - on all the same "fabric" background an incision in the eye is depicted "half-face", but instead of colorless cavity of the eye we can see...fingerprint and dactyloscopic lines among which is located the track list, both horizontally and curved in accordance with the imprint. I do not know exactly what is the meaning of what the group have invested in the artistic composition, but the combination of fingerprint and retina of the eye are the main signs of identification: the unique features of the person who set it apart from almost 7 billion people on the planet… The inner side comprises a plurality of interlacing nerves and the left side includes a pocket for the booklet, while the right (which itself is mounted to a CD) turns the nerve endings into geographically accurate solid objects similar to the combination of small tubes. But it really is - a conglomerate of vertical poles or generalization of beautiful branches? Or rune encrypted with the formula? Last thing isn’t exactly fitting into the picture of abstraction and madness by its hidden certainty - and here each element does not appear as such, as he used to be seen. CD itself is made in dark colors outside, which does not correlate with bright colours of inner part. Booklet itself, that languishing in the tab on the left side, is a huge storehouse of both direct and abstract images, which one and all belong to the musical foundations of the concept, to the lyrical content of albums, and actively develop the artistic part initiated on the panels of digipack. And I'm not going to talk about each image in detail, because I want to save that part of the plot, which group specifically saved for you, acolytes. I can only say that the lack of lyrics in the booklet is compensated by pictures, each describing a particular track with which it’s directly connected. For example, a picture from the «Stupefying Taste of Henbane. «Coma Ritual» portrays the henbane (namely black). And this, for a second, is a shamanistic plant, especially well-known for the large number of poisonous (some of them are contained only in this plant) substances used to make both harmful and healthy teas. And that can, when prepared right, send a man into a coma, what the name of the song confirms. And the picture «Reflexive Transfer of Aether Through City Lights» depicts a man looking at a conventional light bulb, where the dark substance between these objects is a man in his own eyes to the light of things, and perhaps it shows itself light of things on ordinary human eye. And there are still many interesting images, which made an indelible impression on me, and will impress you. On the back of the booklet there is one "eye" of each participant through which it’s fairly easy to find Howler, Astaroth and Graakh. It's quite original turn - to portray eyelid and it’s much more interesting than to see “corpse” faces once again with taut feeling of rage and anger. And on this I finish my consideration of the visual part of the disc...

Metamorphopsia has a significant effect on the patient, although it is amenable to the usual out-patient treatment. But the maddening images that band bears in its second album, could fall upon you again and again in the process of listening to the recording, which, however, I want to listen to constantly. But the album title is not adequately reflect the full combination of medical and occult components that are inextricably linked to each other in every track. Firstly, VAM are showing sides of lies and truth by expressing them in their compositions with the correct sides. But with each new listening you won’t feel with certainty what is exactly a lie, and what - the truth. And the more you listen to this dangerous for ordinary people opus, the more you doubt the correctness of the choice between both options, and the existence of options as such. It can be promoted to such a state, where can be seen the true essence of each object around you. But who can tell the truth – have you ascended over the world or went completely crazy? Evaluation of the album rarely varies from Prevision to Full Vision, because we rarely write about the release in both formats. And, nevertheless, the release of Ukrainian band deserves its success and I was doubly pleased to assess the album «Metamorphopsia» and discover completely new things that I never felt before in a digital version. But where Virvel av Morkerhatet will go further? Will they develop their own style on, go completely avant-garde or cease their activities as a band and will be distributed throughout different projects - given the fact that all things are possible, who knows? Who knows…