Negative-Existence - ONE MASTER "The Quiet Eye of Eternity" CD

ONE MASTER "The Quiet Eye of Eternity" CD
[OMQEYECD]

~~$11.00~~ $7.70

ONE MASTER "The Quiet Eye of Eternity" CD

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Artist: ONE MASTER

Title: The Quiet Eye of Eternity

Format: CD

Country: USA

Genre: Black Metal

Record Label: Eternal Death

U.S. black metal assault coming at you with sick, raw production and pure holocaust sound blast. Anyone into old Gorgoroth, old Immortal, old Darkthrone, Judas Iscariot, old Bathory etc...

Tracklisting:

1. Infinite Void 08:21
2. The Destroyer (Part 1) 04:34
3. The Destroyer (Part 2) 04:00
4. The Wanderer 08:45
5. Field of Ruins 10:02
35:42

Sounds:

Review:

Written By:Noktorn [Metal-Archives]

It's almost unimaginable to me that One Master could have possibly followed up their debut with an equally strong sophomore release, but here we are. I never thought they'd be able to pull it off again- 'Forsaking A Dead World' was such an inspired, essential piece of music I figured it was a one-time fluke of artistic brilliance that couldn't be replicated. Apparently not, as 'The Quiet Eye Of Eternity' is just as strong (though a very different beast). Refining their style but not softening the edges, One Master have returned with an album that is every bit the first's equal. If you want to hear the very top of the USBM scene, look no further: One Master is here to provide for her panda babies.

The music on this record is altogether smoother and more streamlined than on the first- losing much of the primordial black/thrash influences of bands like Bathory, this album seems to be a more straightforward take on Scandinavian second wave black metal with a few modern USBM tricks as well. The droning strains of 'Under A Funeral Moon'-era Darkthrone are a clear influence- that album's wavering, undulating atonality is a big part of a lot of the material here, alongside early Gorgoroth's straightforward barbarism. All this explains the rawer side of the equation at work, but identifying what exactly One Master's melodic, contemplative side comes from is more challenging. Early Emperor is definitely a part of it, but I'd point to more obscure members of the raw/melodic style like Satan's Almighty Penis or even, yes, Weakling as a big part of it. While One Master does take some influence melodically from the west coast hippie black metal bands which are all the rage these days, this band chooses to ignore all the post-rock nonsense and just make more melodically dynamic black metal. It's a wise decision.

The five lengthy tracks that compose this album all neatly flow into each other, made easier since they're all composed of similar elements: brackish and atonal tremolo riffs that thrum in the background, plodding, wandering passages defined by high, crystalline guitar tones, and the frantic, wildly melodic passages over beds of too-fast blast beats. This is a riff-oriented album, certainly, and the play between guitars and (very audible) bass does a lot to expand the record's creative palet. The guitar tone is a perfectly represented 'Hvis Lyset Tar Oss' sharp buzz, and the rest of the production fits the 'intelligent but raw' feel of the rest of the music. The guitarwork tends to waver between more riffy, traditional arrangements, and sprawling, seemingly random stretches of tremolo noted chords, with simple melodic structures that link together and just sweep across the constant drums like wind over a sand dune. Then, after a while, those chords eventually transport you to another place in the song entirely, and you wonder how you got there. Both modes are incredibly solid: the riffcraft is rich, varied, and unfailingly interesting and surprising. One Master isn't afraid to play with melody, be it sudden infusions of more major key melodic structures in otherwise bleak songs or in the daring sparseness and minimalism of some of the album's moments. They're definitely the centerpiece of this release, and they make every moment worth the listener's time.

In general, One Master's music here is much more sprawling and wandering than the tracks found on their first LP. The tracks on 'Foresaking A Dead World' were lengthy and involved, but more focused and driving. This release is more content to just sort of explore the musical canvas, so to speak- while there certainly are moments of extreme aggression, intensity, and drive, when the vocals depart and the music relaxes a bit, the songs tend to wander off into the grey, misty deserts that this album inspires images of. This is actually perfectly fine- somehow, the feel of the album as a whole is conducive to this vibe. More importantly, One Master never feel like they're wandering because they have nothing to express- it's more as though they're expressing something very abstract and wandering is the only way to speak of it. It's a fascinating feel for an album to have, and I wish more bands would explore it in this sort of manner.

In short, One Master has completely upheld their history with this release. Why this band isn't signed to a large underground label is still completely beyond me- the two albums this collective has independently release smash entire discographies of other, better known bands. If you have any desire to hear what the forefront of USBM sounds like, buy this immediately. This is an underground act who deserves your support.

Links:

one-master

This product was added to our catalog on Tuesday 05 March, 2013.