Lhaäd’s sonic mosaic of disparate genres eludes easy description. Below sounds distinct from Lykormas’ numerous other projects. Rather, Lhaäd self-identifies as “hadopelagic” black metal (an adjective I never thought I’d see again), and Below often evokes the synth-laced atmoblack of Darkspace and the guitar-centric celestial ambience of Mare Cognitum. But these comparisons only scratch the surface. Various sections of Below resemble the immersive soundscape of early Drudkh (“II,” “IV”), the industrial percussion-led attack of Mysticum (“III,” “VI”), the less experimental parts of Blut Aus Nord’s Hallucinogen and Memoria Vetusta (“I,” “V”), and Darkthrone-style second-wave worship (“II,” “IV”). Even this description doesn’t quite do justice to Below’s sonic diversity, which keeps the listener guessing at every turn. Lhaäd unifies these styles to forge an atmosphere that alternates between claustrophobic and cosmic.
Below’s greatest triumph is the way it tessellates its varied influences into a rich mosaic. Lhaäd excels at weaving a medley of ideas into each track without sacrificing cohesion. Several songs dance fluidly from crushing tremolo riffs to industrial drum programming to Lovecraftian synths to melodic black metal and back again, without skipping a beat (“III,” “IV,” “V”). Below’s experimental nature is underscored by unexpected flourishes like the doomy middle of “II” and the Nile-esque ending of “V.” Despite these excursions, Below builds songs around recurring themes to avoid seeming disjointed. “I” and “IV” use melodic and rhythmic continuity to maintain a sturdy backbone amidst creative digressions, while “II” is constructed around a riff that sounds like a B-side from Autumn Aurora, which resurfaces artfully after journeys into industrial doom and Darkspace territory. Lhaäd successfully walks a treacherous tightrope to write songs that are dynamic without feeling haphazard.
When the Angry Overlord assigned me to a one-person atmoblack debut, my heart sank, and I recoiled in my chains. But against all odds, Łħäääääđ manages to inject fresh ideas into a genre that often relapses into stale bloat. The result is an album that remains exciting after dozens of listens, while the sheer diversity of the namedrops above should bear witness to Lhaäd’s willingness to push boundaries. Although Below took several spins to reveal its colorful facets to me, this effort was immensely rewarding. Below’s inconsistency holds the record back from excellence, but I’m excited to hear what Lhaäd has in store next.
Rating: 3.5/5.0
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Labels: Babylon Doom Cult Records | Extraconscious Records | Fólkvangr Records
Websites: thenoxentity.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/thenoxentity
Releases Worldwide: December 10th, 2021