Most Holy Death ‘Death Knell’ DD 2014
The band Most Holy Death is just one dude (or girl, I’m judging by the vocals). In the dining room of an apartment of the band member this record was created. A grim and dreadful dining room it must be if we check out the grim sound of Death Knell.
In the deepest pit of despair, you should be able to find the sound of Let Me In. A croaked, hoarse voice is audible over a droning sound. Slowed down thunder strikes seem to boom from the sound, while the vocalist raises his voice and hands to the heavens in agony. Drawing inspiration from the likes of Khanate, Altar Of Plages and Sunn O))), it’s clear what we’re in for.
In the warm summer sun, this is not the record to listen to. It’s claustrophobic and bleak at times, like Catacombs. Lyrics like “I ate of my own flesh and drank my own blood,but still I thirsted endlessly and gnawed upon my tongue“, almost drain the joy out of your day. The brittle, distorted sound that embraces these words feels cold and biting. The crawling Dark One is another spiralling fall into darkness, crackling sounds slowly covering the voice. A noise tapestry slowly takes over the song that lasts close to 10 minutes.
A minor drone sound takes up the first minutes of High Tower, when suddenly a croaking voice is heard. Using minimal means and the sense of a looming terror, the song is pushing a strong atmosphere. The utter defeat and despair in the words is haunting. That same despair is in the title track, Death Knell, which finishes up the record. Still there’s a defiance born from the same despairing voice. A scrawny fist raised up to the heavens. Against the overwhelming decay of time it seems there’s a glimmer of hope, if you want to find it in the sound of Most Holy Death.
This album takes it to the depths of despair and convinces thoroughly. Like most one man bands there’s an anger behind it, unfiltered and pure, that shines through in the sound. A great record for those who love the bleak of nothing.
Label: Self Released
Band Links: Bandcamp
Scribed by: Guido Segers
