Heartless - Anaesthetization
Negativity be praised! The Suicidal Depressive Black Metal subgenre seems to be thriving as new releases come pouring in now from all over the globe. So many of these bands continue to go unnoticed by the major Metal press, it’s almost like the tape trading days. Perhaps there is one last remaining faction of the underground unmolested by the internet’s all-consuming gayness? Although I suppose without the web we could not even begin to reach the majority of these lesser known acts. Take for instance Heartless, a one-man project all the way from the Shandong Province of China. Finding quality Extreme Metal from China is no small task, but to find quality SDBM… well, that’s like finding fried rice without happy faggot, lifeloving onions. I would assume day-to-day existence in China could have the potential to beget many causes of depression for some. That certainly seems to be the case for Lu, who is the “all instruments/vocals” mastermind behind Heartless. I’m guessing the man is a student of Burzum’s classic Filosofem album, as his style is similarly bleak, slow and repetitive, with very lengthy tracks (four cuts and an intro equaling over 46 minutes). You might also find some choice Forgotten Tomb in his collection, Ravishing Grimness perhaps, maybe even some old Katatonia, and a few Death/Doom essentials as well. The feeling strived for on Anaesthetization is pure emptiness. A totally grim and hopeless void. If you’re searching for avant-garde experimentation, technical prowess, weird-for-the-sake-of-weird posing, or flashy showmanship, you should look elsewhere. Lu will generally craft a simple, melodic riff or two out of pure sorrow and ride it indefinitely into the nearing grave. It’s far from groundbreaking or original, but it is effective. This isn’t music designed to pack coliseums and amphitheaters. This is music best reserved for no light, complete solitude, and your intoxicant of choice. Hail misery. Hail despair. Bleakest of the bleak: “Anxiety” and “Illusion.”
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