Thantifaxath – “Thantifaxath” – [Dark Descent Records]

abacus   4/20/2016   A Library, CD

atmospheric black metal from this mysterious trio of Canadians lamenting the waste and failure of the human race, depressive in themes and delivery but with heavy leanings in prog territory; the production in the despairing melodicism is clean to be sure, almost too clean, almost cheesy its that clean, but listening to those deep 70s prog vibes it all makes sense. the classic inspirations are tempered with metal passages that are aggressive indeed, and the vocals definitely have that tortured howl, but the riffage veers from your standard black metal, with technical structures carried along by some virtuosic bass playing. these guys have refused to emerge from their anonymity, which probably accounts for why they’re so unknown despite extensive touring and an approachable sound, and they definitely stand unique in style, for better or for worse.