Adaestuo - Tacent Semitae (2016)

Since I cannot find any information about where this band is from (Nothing on Metal Archives, Bandcamp and even Facebook page won't give me any info either) we'll just skip that part of the review. At any race, this black metal trio from “parts unknown” brings about a dissonant sort of black metal that comes with an unexpected element. Female operatic vocal, similar to Diamanda Galas. You have no idea how much that statement becomes a reality within this album. The album's ending cut and title track is nearly a tribute to the ritualistic Greek legend, with frontwoman Hekte Zaren performing nearly unrealistic chants that put the pop-singer turned black metal frontwoman Myrkur to shame. But it's not only that. Regardless of the frantic blasts and familiar dissonant riffs, there's an atmosphere of pure horror here. When I say horror, I do mean pure fright. Musically, the record comes packed with a mix of what I would consider an unsettling, yet wholly ritualistic vibe that you just won't hear from many, if really any other black metal source. Aside from this, the band can certainly play black metal with the best of them and sometimes the frontman adds to the harsh vocal element as well. That being said, you'll still hear Zaren's haunting chants in the background, further sprinkiling in bit of originality to what seems like a frighteningly progressive black metal backbone. 

Two of the songs on the disc aren't actually metal at all, and aside from the title cut we also have “Cicatrises Plexae” which is very similar to the industrial work that I review from Malignant. That being said, the black metal is definitely black and the atmopshere certainly feels like an atmosphere. None of this just seems haphazardly thrown together, as each style of music performed shows that it could work well enough to encapsulate two different bands which some listeners might feel should be the case. Even though it is 2016, some people still seem to have a problem with chocolate and peanut butter mixing, but it can also be said that those same individuals would have a problem with the female vocal approach as the frontispiece in the first place. I would much rather prefer Tacent Semitae to anything Myrkur puts out, and it shows that female fronted black metal and experimental approaches are indeed great things in the genre, which she embrace. Yet only if done with as much proficiency as has been utilized here. Definitely pick this one up in November, I think you'll be surprised with this unexpectedly potent debut.

(4 Tracks, 20:00)

9/10