Search - Leviathan :: Tentacles of Whorror

Tentacles of Whorror
Leviathan
Tentacles of Whorror
Genres: Rock, Metal
 
  •  Track Listings (12) - Disc #1

Following last year?s definitive black metal highlight, Leviathan returns and your Whorror is about to begin! Prolific madman Wrest again challenges both his creative capabilities and the conventional trappings of "black m...  more »

     
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CD Details

All Artists: Leviathan
Title: Tentacles of Whorror
Members Wishing: 1
Total Copies: 0
Label: Napalm
Release Date: 8/17/2004
Genres: Rock, Metal
Styles: Progressive, Progressive Metal, Death Metal
Number of Discs: 1
SwapaCD Credits: 1
UPCs: 768586005221, 803680827000

Synopsis

Album Description
Following last year?s definitive black metal highlight, Leviathan returns and your Whorror is about to begin! Prolific madman Wrest again challenges both his creative capabilities and the conventional trappings of "black metal". Witness what happens when the "rules" of black metal are thrown out, yet its true artistic essence is upheld. Witness what it?s like within the Tentacles of Whorror. "The Future of Black Metal." ? ANVIL MAGAZINE "Simply, the most mesmerizing, transcendental Black Metal ever put to tape."- TERRORIZER
 

CD Reviews

One of the Best Releases in BM in Years! Terrifying USBM!
p_drl | 03/23/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)

"The last few years in black metal has seen the slow but strong rise of USBM (black metal bands from the US) bands like Demoncy, Judas Iscariot, Absu, Krieg, and Grand Belial's Key. Even more recently has emerged the "So-Cal" BM scene with the distorted minds of people like Wrest of Leviathan and madman Malfeic of Xasthur. They all have one thing in common, though; Each band plays its own unique brand of black metal, throwing the original rules and aesthetics out, but staying true to the basic principles. Some play ultra-raw, primitive, and minimalist black metal in the vein of Darkthrone and Burzum; and others like Xasthur and Leviathan play a type of depressive, emotive, and droning black metal with distortion-soaked vocals, an unsettling dark ambient-like atmosphere, and a wall of noisy guitars. The wall of noise, when deciphered, holds many suicidal and droning melodies similar to that of Burzum, Graveland, Ildjarn, and Abyssic Hate. It's truly a sound to behold, and definitely isn't friendly to the ears.



However, I'm not comparing Leviathan to Xasthur at all. Wrest plays the drums himself, and does very well with stampeding blasts, galloping double bass, and inventive fills. (Unlike Judas Iscariot's sloppy Darkthrone-esque grinding.) The production isn't as nearly as harsh or muffled as Xasthur either. It's still VERY raw and tinged with echoes and reverbs, but the guitars are discernable and there is clarity to be found, especially when it comes to the bass guitar. Overall, the sound here seems "heavier" and more organic than that of Xasthur.



The guitars have a very eerie downtuned feel to them, and use a SICK distortion, sounding like a buzzsaw revved up to 100 mph. It seems a but distasteful at first, but with closer listening, the guitars reveal some excellent playing and trance-inducing melodies, which adds to the nightmarish, suicidal atmosphere. The slower parts are CREEPY... Every time I listen to the title track or the end of "Vexed and Vomit Hexed", I cannot help but to feel like I am falling into the deepest black hole known to man, where no light or positivity exists. The album as a whole has a crushing atmosphere, and it will rape your sanity into oblivion. Wrest's tortured cries are soaked in distortion and reverb, like a lost soul screaming in pain in the deepest abyss. If you listen to this album at night, you will swear to yourself that you're sinking into utter bleakness and a state of pure depression. All of the tracks here are absolute genius, and I can't find a single thing wrong with it. (Though my faves are tracks 4,5,7, and 9.) The production is raw, but holds the essence of all instruments well.



If you're looking for haunting, suicidal, depressive black metal, this is definitely worth picking up. Reccommended to fans of Ildjarn, Graveland, Burzum, Darkthrone, and Abyssic Hate. By far the best metal album of 2004."
Post-Black-Metal
General Zombie | the West | 02/20/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)

"To be perfectly blunt, I don't listen to all that much Black Metal. There are still a number of really great bands out there, and Leviathan is one of the best. This album is pretty different from their last (well, his last, since it's just one guy), as it's got quite a bit better production and is less purist, with something of a post-rock flavor to it at times. This will potentially upset a few utter diehards, but most rational individuals can tell that this doesn't even the slightest hint of commercialism. And the better production is still far from sharp and professional. Basically, it means that they turned the white noise generator down to low and actually miced the drums. Personally I like this approach, because as much as I like 'The Tenth Sub-Level of Suicide' I get the impression that the impact would wear off eventually if Wrest didn't change things up a little. And, despite the different approach, 'Tentacles of Whorror' has much the same tone as that album, though it is perhaps not quite as dark.



The album starts out a bit more straight forward for the first 4 or so tracks, mostly just lotsa speedy, raw black metal riffs with a few interludes and a couple slightly thrashier riffs thrown in at a few points. (Rather reminds me of Sepultura's 'Schizophrenia' at a few points.) There's quite a bit more slow, atmospheric stuff in the second half of the album, particularly the haunting and low-key second half of 'Vexed and Vomit Hexed' and the endless droning title track. There is also some ambient electronic flavoring as well, which works pretty nicely. (Particularly note the bizarre, minimalist closing track, 'The History of Rape') Overall I'd say the slower, more ambient stuff is probably more memorable, though the more purely BM material is still very good. Some of the best I've heard, as a matter of fact. Also, Wrest remains one of the most powerful black metal shriekers around, with great distorted howling and croaking. Very eerie stuff.



Yeah, I like it."
My favorite black metal band EVER
progpatron01 | mn | 12/04/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)

"The first release I got from Leviathan was the first full album 'tenth sub level of suicide' (possibly the greatest album ever imo). After that I bought the amazing Varrater release which is a compilation of some of his demo work,- very very good. When the new album came out I of course couldnt wait for amazon to get it up (it took like 3 months!!!) I ordered direct from moribundcult. It was everything I expected and more, its the sickest, weirdest, and even most emotional black metal you will ever hear. Wrest (their only member) is a total genious, BUY THIS ALBUM!!!!"