The label really has a clear statement about itself and the album in store: "We are Merciless Records (...) We are the NON PLUS ULTRA. ÜBER-METAL FÜR FREIGEISTER (...) This is not just "True" Black Metal. This is the Black Truth itself."

But back to the music of Khiaoscuro: The first intro-like song keeps the listener wondering what the music will sound like. It's a long electro-song with psychotic scream-vocals and clicking noises. The only thing which gets already clear is, that this music hasn't got a lot of mass appeal.

During the 76 minutes the music reveals many different faces, but in general it could be tagged as avant-garde-black metal with a suicidal feeling and ambient elements. The lyrics consist of pure fucking misanthropy. They are presented with vocals which are comparable to the Swedish band Wood of Infinity because of the difference from "conventional" black metal vocals and because of their disctraction. There are often several vocal tracks at one time, some screaming, some moaning, some singing. Additionally, the album features some female vocal samples.

The riffing is relatively melodic, but sometimes a little too low in the mix, while the synths and the hi-hat are quite present, which needs getting used to. But it fits unsettled sound. Every song leads smoothly into the next one, which creates one large whole piece. A piece which is part of Astorian's self-realization and serves to create a special atmosphere, or let's say a sound-landscape, which reflects his world-view. Also worth mentioning: He designed the album artwork on his own and there's a picture for nearly every song.

Khiaoscuro can be recommended to everyone who is game to get into this synthesis of art and to dive into this detached, 'traumatic voyage.' It's hard to decide about the rating, because it's polarizing music, which you can either love or hate. Probably there's one group who says this music belongs to a small elite of listeners and another who says there's not enough focus on the music, but too much on the world-view of the mastermind. But everyone has to decide for him or herself which group is right. As a matter of fact this album is devilishly self-contained and different.

written by Aziza Schwenke

Playing time: 76:31