Labels: Apocaplexy
Review by: Alex Deller
Over the past few years Terra Tenebrosa have proven themselves to be an exciting, arresting and pretty much essential band doing something wonderfully warped with their metal. This EP is a bridge of sorts, the two songs culled from the recording sessions that forged their two excellent LPs. ‘Draining The Well’ is a lengthy number that begins with seven minutes of febrile churn and buzzing, jar-of-wasps vocals before evaporating into a period of blackened atmospherica that blossoms into a pungent mixture of bowel-loosening riffs and unsettling dissonance part-way between Will Haven and Goblin. ‘Apokatastasis’ isn’t half as long and is an altogether simpler beast, basing itself upon a hypnotic riff around which swirl garbled vocals, scuttling rhythms and washes of glowering ether noise. It almost comes as a palate cleanser after the first side’s sonic/psychic/spiritual mauling but is far from an easy listen itself, all of which ensures this 12″ serves as both a delicious stopgap for existing fans or the perfect gateway drug for those who’ve not yet been tempted by the bitter treats Terra Tenebrosa have to offer.