DROWNING THE LIGHT

DROWNING THE LIGHT    “The Ghost of a Flea” EP

DROWNING THE LIGHT     “Lurker of the Void” EP

By Octopi Mills

Here I am doing two joint reviews of the two EPs that were released on Dark Adversary by DROWNING THE LIGHT...to make matters even more interesting, the eps collaborate with the release of the new album, "Haunter of the Deep", which we will not be discussing at this time but maybe in the future...So this is a double feature, lads and lasses…

The first EP on review is "The Ghost of a Flea" which features the album cover art of a painting in the same regards of the name by one William Blake, and it is a most complicated subject to explain so i will try. To make a long, long story short, Blake saw something of a vampiric entity as his painter friend was at hand. There is an interesting promo piece about this and I will quote a mere portion:

"This EP of raw, melancholic & bloodthirsty Black Metal is based on the painting and drawing of the same name by William Blake of a Vampyric entity that appeared before him during a séance with John Varley in 1819.

The two would often gather late at night in Varley's house, and played a game in which Varley would attempt to summon the spirit of a historical or mythological person. On the appearance of the spirit, Blake would then attempt to sketch their likeness.

According to Varley, the imagery of a Flea came to Blake during an 1819 séance.

The Flea entity told Blake that “fleas were inhabited by the souls of such men as were by nature blood thirsty to excess.” 

The flea communicated to Mr. Blake; “It was first intended,” said he (the flea) “to make me as big as a bullock; but then when it was considered from my construction, so armed and so powerful withal, that in proportion to my bulk, mischievous as I now am, that I should have been a too mighty destroyer; it was determined to make me - no bigger than I am.”

The sketch and painting of the Flea, part human, part Vampyre and part reptile have led many to believe William Blake was communing with something far more sinister..."

I advise you to look further into the matter of this if you are interested here: The Ghost of a Flea - Wikipedia

Anyhow, there are three songs here, "The Ghost of a Flea" "Lycanthropic Daemon" and "Stalking Astral Portals".. The first track has the traditional DTL flair and a happy sort of melody only the proprietor here can encompass- A happy sound somehow running through old black metal modes with muppet like vocals that assume different roles and monster narrations as if he is talking in the voice of the flea....I really cannot do it justice to describe but alas, I can put forth the effort to get it heard. 

"Lycanthropic Daemon" has the same sort of feel, and rushes with a powerful sort of joyous melody like great waters that are mighty and hold true to the same old sound the music has always wielded, not losing the magic and always full of creative inspiration as if the artist is still in childhood nostalgia always and inspired by such; as if a happy mirror into a world where spirits and monsters realm and it is relatively calm...yet perhaps i am too comfortable in these trappings and to some it might  be nightmarish?...This first ep runs at about 16 minutes or so...and before I know it song two and three ran together and I am left hearing the waves of the ocean. For such a short time running, it plays out like a strange paranormal tale and brings back Blake, albeit in a different mood!

Now I shall move on to the other ep, "Lurker of the void"…

This EP runs only a minute longer than the aforementioned and opens strong with the self-titled song of the same name, having the same old magic as you would imagine if you are in the know. The strange mirror like theme is apparent and narrated in a voice....The theme of waters always seems to find its way in the art and music. The guitars are able to evoke powerful emotions that are perhaps deeply melancholic and sad but somehow joyous...keyboards are of the childlike variety, and I mean this as a compliment and they layer well with this bakery of such ingredients and formulae. The promo here states:

"This EP can be considered a melancholic and majestic tendril with the same spirit as the "Haunter of the Deep" album, but rather than being below the depths it is in a dimension of its own.

Raw Black Metal with synthscapes and haunting melodies ignite a Setapophian flame... Illuminating the abyss and burning through you... the Lurker of the Void."

The second song rages on, having what seems here and now on this ep as a purposeful production that evokes old crackling things that turned into nostalgia and thats what I like about this DROWNING THE LIGHT thing....to capture all this...like a library where one has created his own worlds through certain reoccuring themes like the photos, subject manners and album covers...this is a fellow who found his own shadow world and must have gotten lost in it. Let's raise a glass to that, surely? 

The song continues and sounds like a man falling off a sea cliff or being drowned in the ocean...a voice is imitated that sounds like an old foul god after the fall...and the good old muppet vocals...ah, it's not of the usual variety. "Traversing Lost Dimesnions" opens with a sea ambience and something like a Shepherd's song on lost pipes, making the interest and nostalgia something great in keys that piddle around in genius and create atmosphere that is unheard of mostly and not quite like anything else in the shelves. It stays the same and brings an end to something quite special and makes the listening experience worth doing. 

If these were released in 2022 they would have been on my best of list but it seems it is on the new year. As this ends i begin listening to "Haunter of the Deep", the actual album and I must say these all would make a snow wintry night as this quite an exciting affair...though I will not review the full length now but one never knows. Highly recommended material...