If you want to piss off a metalhead, or at least start a colourful discussion, mention that "shoegaze influenced black metal." It's a polarizing notion, to be sure. Some metalheads hate the idea of popularizing and subverting such an infamous subgenre, while others feel like bands who take their black metal to the outer levels of experimentation are doing us all a favour and expanding the boundaries of the genre.
But it's not all Deafheaven, Liturgy and accessible, almost mainstream, metal. There is some stuff out there that can still chill you right to the bone and conjure up the stuff of nightmares; in short, it can still be metal, but also flirt with shoegaze, ambient and other experimental forms. Sibiir are one of those bands, and they execute their approach almost flawlessly.
Sibiir only formed a year ago in Oslo, but their claim to fame is that the band includes members of Sigh & Explode, Jack Dalton, Do You Love Melena? and Call:Vega. This first release is only two tracks, but they are two tracks that explode, rise, fall and generally contain a lot of emotion. The first is the title track, which starts things off slow before a crescendo of darkness raises things to a level of pure evil. The second, and the album's best, "These Rats We Deny," is a foray into the truly deranged, and worth repeated listens.
If you are on the hater side of the shoegaze and metal debate, give this record a chance. It might change your opinion on the whole genre, or at least give you something good to listen to for the next half-hour.
(Disiplin)But it's not all Deafheaven, Liturgy and accessible, almost mainstream, metal. There is some stuff out there that can still chill you right to the bone and conjure up the stuff of nightmares; in short, it can still be metal, but also flirt with shoegaze, ambient and other experimental forms. Sibiir are one of those bands, and they execute their approach almost flawlessly.
Sibiir only formed a year ago in Oslo, but their claim to fame is that the band includes members of Sigh & Explode, Jack Dalton, Do You Love Melena? and Call:Vega. This first release is only two tracks, but they are two tracks that explode, rise, fall and generally contain a lot of emotion. The first is the title track, which starts things off slow before a crescendo of darkness raises things to a level of pure evil. The second, and the album's best, "These Rats We Deny," is a foray into the truly deranged, and worth repeated listens.
If you are on the hater side of the shoegaze and metal debate, give this record a chance. It might change your opinion on the whole genre, or at least give you something good to listen to for the next half-hour.
