Review
Spire
Metamorph

Australian extreme metal is one of wonder. Whether it's the heartbreaking sorrow of Austere and by extension Woods of Desolation, the war/black/thrash stylings of Deströyer 666 and Sadistik Exekution, the nightmare inducing death metal of Portal or the absolute majesty of doom legends Mournful Congregation - Australia produces some truly crushing music. And to the fore, come Spire. Clad in black, hooded cloaks and a deep elemental intrigue they released Metamorph towards the end of last year. And damn, it's an EP of mystery and insidious unnerving tone.

Building atmosphere with curious sounds and time signatures, the introductory piece "-" is enough to make even the most hardened shiver. It's a simple work, yet the sense of dread and foreboding is ever present, a taste of things to come. "Zygote" is all dissonance and spectacular vocal style. Not sitting into any one sub-genre of black metal, the style is slightly reminiscent of the most recent Caïna work - "Hands That Pluck". The vocal is at times harsh, growled into the rumbling echoes of bass beneath, at other times it is quite terrifying - deep and dark and dangerous. Spilling over into some other realm where experimentation meets the howls of the unnamed curators of this experience.

The abstract expanse of "Parturience" is sculpted within walls of sound and an overwhelming clamour, the vocal disappearing somewhat at first into the vast wasteland of the horror created by Spire, finally given life at the mid-point and brought into the world via sound and fury leading into the closing track - "Mort." Discordant wails punctuate the lightning fast drums and raging guitar lines. Time signatures become a thing of contempt, changing at will with nary a seconds notice and the pace fluctuates between slow almost doom-like progressions, technical leads and groans of abhorrence.

Metamorph is a disconcerting entity, one to be explored in the very depths of nightmares.