Atrabilis / Negativa - MMXV

ATRABILIS / NEGATIVA - MMXV (EQUINOX DISCOS - Split 7"EP)

This is another 7”EP from Equinox Discos (released in collaboration with two other labels Nebular Carcoma Records & La Esfinge De La Calavera) and I have to say that it’s also one I like least from all three new releases of this excellent label. Well, maybe it’s also due to the fact that it gave some problems at the start, when I got it. I first looked at the cover and had no idea what band it is. Then it turned out that it’s a split EP, with two Spanish bands Atrabilis and Negativa, both of which share the same member D. But then the sides of the vinyl are not signed, so I have no idea which band is on which side! And more so, both sound so close to each other that they can be almost treated as one unity. They even have this manner of titling their releases with Roman numerals.

So, without recognizing who is who, I can say that we deal here with very cacophonic take on black metal. The music of both bands is very harsh and dirty, cold and minimalistic, with a lot of distortion, chaos, dissonance and obscurity in the sound and some of the most hateful and harsh vocals you’ve ever heard. And the whole gives the antihuman, bleak aura. There’s nothing pleasant or entertaining about this music and one has to seriously be in a proper mood to get into it and catch the feeling of it properly. Honestly I had not liked it as much as for example Suspiral excellent outburst of chaos, but there’s surely something mesmerizing about the music of Atrabilis and Negativa. Of course, as I said before, I cannot recognize which band is which, but they sound very alike, so I don’t understand the point of having two similar projects running, instead of focusing on one, but that’s not my headache. One song is very fast and raw, other is much slower and it’s also the one I like more. All in all, this is a solid release, even if far from being my favourite split 7”EP.

Final rate: 65/100