“There is but one truly serious philosophical problem and that is suicide.”
Albert Camus
Horses seem to wandering aimlessly wherever they shall be willed to go. Using blinkers, humans have created an invention for them to be completely oblivious to anything bar their journey. Such is the same with life, often people only want to focus on the positive, happy thoughts, memories that will be warming to the soul, but life isn’t always quite like that…
Coining the term suicidal black metal, Shining return, with this their ninth full length. Comprised of six interminably bleak snapshots of despair, hopelessness and true dejection, the album begins with an ominous introduction of feedback, similar to that of our tape player in Evil Dead. Signalling our descent of emotional degeneration. Painted with such an arid sense each song whilst sounding exactly what you would expect from these Swedish black metallers sounds fresh and new. The cavernous lead lines however have always been one of my favourite parts of a Shining album. The illustrious opening of introductory track “Den Påtvingade Tvåsamheten” utilizes the sense of melancholic melody to a beautiful effect. The albums draw bridge is well and truly opened with grandiose guitar harmonies, that are triumphant yet retain an air of sadness and befitting drums. That is until the wolf is loose on “Vilja & Dröm” kicking things off to fast paced start before we’re slowly moved into slower paced mid section, complete with all the usual black metal trimming of dissonant chords and dreary tones.
Space is largely the silent member of Shining, understanding when to unleash hell and when to swiftly bring back the reigns. Dynamics within the band are used in truly genius ways. Final track “Besök Från I(ho)nom” makes use of musical space fantastically, using silence to conjure an atmosphere, before being thrown to the wind in the abrasive verse, the difference both in tone and speed both differentiates between the songs along with showing that Shining are truly in a league of their own. Exorcising proverbial demons the song is one of the most moving sections of the album itself, lugubriously latching to the listener.
With frontman Niklas Kvarforth never shying away from his true emotions, having struggled both mentally and physically with the band in previous years, his trauma reflects a tragic beauty, moulding with the often clashing guitar melodies. Irregardless of the language that lyrics might be in, through Kvarfoth‘s delivery we can see their portrayal particularly on the barren “Inga Broar Kvar Att Branna” pain is universal. Something that has always confused me slightly with the band’s dynamic however, are when the band get going. The obsidian snail’s pace growth of “Framtidsutsitker” builds with lachrymose guitar chords until an almost Stairway To Heaven like solo, a definite highlight of the album. Yet a complete contradiction of the band itself. Black metal is often either simplistic and harsh, yet Shining retain the freedom to inspire their own boundless darkened creation . Which is a paradox in itself.
Many could argue that the band may confine themselves to a very limit amount of exploration both lyrically and sonically, having pigeonholed themselves in the genre of suicidal black metal, yet the way that IX – Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, Ends couldn’t be more freeing. Elements of classic black metal creep through with blast beats assaulting the senses, but not before the song is brought very much back to earth, a prime example being “Människotankens Vägglösa Rum” classic pieces of the black metal puzzle put together, though the techniques used are rather more avant garde that what black metal purists would associate with.
Some areas of life people tend to shy away from, depression, sadness true absolute hopelessness all tools at Shining‘s disposal yet with IX – Everyone, Everything, Everywhere, Ends the band have truly created a melancholic beauty.Delivered with the passion and that only a true sufferer knows. Portrayed within the six tracks are the true emotions of a passionate vision. Using dynamics of space, emotion and progression Shining encapsulate the floundering sense of helpness synonymous with sadness. A truly thought provoking and deeply resonating work of art.
If you liked what you read / heard then you can preorder the brand new album here!
