It’s almost impossible to comprehend how any artist from Ukraine must be feeling now. Having managed to survive the crippling impact of the pandemic, to now be confronted with even more dramatic and life changing circumstances seems awfully unfair. But life is anything but fair isn’t it and we can only wish all Ukrainian artists our best wishes and hope they can rebuild sooner rather than later.
One such artist is Sidus Atrum, the one-woman black metal project by Yuliia Lykhotvor. Her first release Cold Silence arrived in 2019 and whilst I’m not familiar with that work, her sophomore release Spiral of Life is enough to make me put Cold Silence on the list of albums that I need to listen to.
Spiral of Life is a beautifully dark and melancholic release. Six songs spread over 39 minutes with an intoxicating combination that entwines doom, black and post-black metal. It’s an emotional and sweeping mixture of contrasts, an aural delight wrapped in a stunning soundscape. At times it could be cinematic, such is the expansive imagery which the album commands. Musically it is something special. There are blisteringly harsh ages of tremolo riffing, jagged and angular time changes, many blast beats and witchcraft invoking screams. These alternate with ethereal, delicate ages of gentle vocals and intricate musicianship. This combination of light and shade provides the opportunity to become deeply absorbed in the album, appreciating both sides and delving lower into a multitude of sentiments that are expressed.
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“Fading Light” is the first song we encounter. It’s an eight-minute journey which fluctuates wildly from crushingly heavy and fast sections, where the vocals are almost demonic before dipping into calmer, tranquil ages which sees Lykhotvor ease into clean and delicate singing, complete with harmonious acoustic elements. Her ability to create such contrasts is impressive, as is the compositions contained in the release. “Sea of Life” is the longest song on the record and provides further demonstration, should that be needed, of Lykhotvor’s musical ability. Haunting and ghostly, the intro switches once more from light to dark as crushing parts flick defiantly in and out. Her poignant delivery ensures that focus is maintained, the unpredictability of the music one of the most intriguing elements on offer.
Tempo is vital to an album with such a variety of sentiments and it’s impressively balanced. The scorching blasts on ‘Breath of Agony’ for example, are visceral, razor sharp and delivered with a ferocity that burns. And yet, the atmosphere is not only maintained but enhanced by the switch to serene moments. Stirring post-metal sections drive the songs as much as the frenzied blurring. It’s a deep dive that provides some stirring and heart wrenching moments.
Spiral of Life maintains its quality throughout with the sombre “Rain Brings Your Voice” featuring guest vocals from Daniel Neagoe, who adds some low guttural roars which work in tandem with Lykhotvor’s more elevated screams. Listen in a darkened room with no distractions, and this is an immersive experience that should demand repeated plays. It’s a quite marvellous piece of work and one can only hope that Lykhotvor can continue her art in the years to come.
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Spiral of Life is out on March 11th
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