Thyrane

Hypnotic
(Century Media)

Scandinavia has been well-known for a few things over the years, mainly cold weather, Abba, and a penchant for dreary, long-haired metal bands that take much of their inspiration from Tolkien’s writing. In this particular case, we’re talking about just such a metal band… But this one is a slight modification on the usual black metal that comes out of said region.

This is metal, all right, no bones about that, but this is metal that owns a sequencer. No, not like Misery Loves Co. or Godflesh or something from the old days of Earache. I would gladly take some old school Drown-type material. No, sir, this is your old-fashioned, beat-you-over-the-head, guitar-harmonics, trite-lyrics, clichéd-growling-vocals metal. But, thankfully, blessedly free of orcs.

Now, one might be the type to enjoy such a thing and, if you do, more power to you. But this isn’t very good. One might take exception at the idea of mocking the English-as-a-second-language abilities of Scandinavians trying to do their best to entertain, but I think they’re trying to reach a bit above their station in the musical scheme…

For example, their severely overwrought and humorous song “Of Suns And Flames” begins with the line “The black sheep of cosmology, awake!” I shit you not. It’s right there in black and white in the liner notes. Don’t believe me yet? “When synthetic gallows takes control/murder of my mind is one of a kind/believe in the words of darkness/life is soon to be out of vogue here.” Yep. That passes for a chorus in the Norse portion of the globe.

As for the music, well, the first track (entitled “Human Weed”) wasn’t that bad. I said to myself: “Self, you don’t like metal, but this isn’t awful and the programming isn’t horrendous. Our ears have yet to bleed. ” That was before I sat through such aptly-titled ditties as “Glamorama Demystified”, “Phantasmal Paranoia”, and “Heretic Hunt”, all continuing along the same theme and style to point to self-parody and cliché.

Later, I offered myself an apology after the CD had continued along the same line for the better part of an hour. “Self,” I said. “You did your best; you didn’t know that you were going to be listening to a highly repetitive metal album, lacking hooks, interesting structure, vocal range, or any sign of diversification from the main body of the tired-ass, living-in-the-80’s metal genre.” I’m still not sure if I’m going to accept my apology.

 

from IndustrialnatioN Magazine #19