Methysticum (2018)

 

(Closest thing to the actual logo that I can still find)

Methysticum is/was a 'Narcotic Metal' project, with two albums recorded within two weeks of one another. It may not be some of my best work, but it's still one of my favorite projects.

Lifelover is an obvious influence philosophically and practically (being composed while high on opioids), musically I also take my cue from the 'Slowcore' genre of alternative Rock. To my knowledge, I wasn't aware of any bands on the more 'Black Metal' side of things, who mixed Slowcore with Depressive or Post-Black Metal.

I therefore decided to give it a shot, and this project happened.

(that feeling when you do a split-album with yourself because reasons)

Funny story... I was talking about doing a split with this one band, when Agrimonia Black (from Tristitia Nigrum) told me they sucked and that I shouldn't do the split. I took his advice to heart, and backed out of doing the split.

Instead, I did a split with myself, making a 'Funeral Doom' project called MOLD to complement Methysticum.

Now, while I do like the Methysticum songs, I really like the MOLD songs, as I felt they really captured an air of dense claustrophobia (which, when speaking about Funeral Doom, is a problem you want to have).

Music for crawling around in a dank, wet, concrete basement in an abandoned building. Come to think of it, it sort of sounds like it could've been recorded there.

(album art caused a bit of an unintended stir)

The second album is the best, in my opinion. I like both of them, but the material is maybe stronger on this one, Methysticum solidifying its sound defined by the blending of 'Slowcore' with Depressive Post-Black. 

The choice of album art was kind of spontaneous. I was looking through images that would give the feeling of addiction in an urban environment. I happened across this image, and used it just because of the dread associated with it.

I dunno, some people thought it might denote racism I guess, just because the victim in the photo is non-White. Not what I meant to convey, but I suppose people will think whatever they're going to think.

After finishing Praise Addiction, about a week later, something happened to my PC. It's an ancient thing, so some connection in the line-in port may have finally disintegrated, or there may have been a complication with how the new speakers I'd bought were set up.
Either way, the end result was that I was no longer able to record using real instruments, nor vocals.

This was the last album made using real instruments until very recently (Feb. 2020 at time of writing).

Download at 'Name Your Price' (free or donation): 

https://methysticum.bandcamp.com/

Mediafire: 

Methysticum - some tracks (presumably from the first album)

Methysticum - "Praise Addiction"

Hated - Comfort (2014)

Hated is another one-off project that I always meant to do more with. There have been times when I almost released, or half-released, some songs under this project, but in the end they never felt right. One of the reasons for that might be because of the difficulty in following such a strong first album.

I don't really care what anyone else says (although the commentary on this album has always been positive), "Comfort" is one of my best albums. As had become the norm for me at that time, none of the songs were 'written.' Rather, they were constructed as I recorded the album. I'd figure out a riff, and then record it.

(alternate cover)

As a result of 'improvising' my songs and recording so many albums of material in this way, I actually can't remember how to play any of the songs on this record, or the other records. The story of this process would deserve its own separate article though. I'm too lazy to write a book, so this blog is going to have to suffice.

Anyways, back to the album... the influences will probably be instantly recognizeable: Abyssic Hate, Velvet Caccoon, and Dodenstorm, in addition to all the other usual suspects.

Though lyrically based on the Biblical book of Nahum, musically this album is just pure DSBM.

Mediafire Download:
Hated - Comfort (2014)