ArtZ

(ArtZ_)

Self-loathing and regret has never sounded as energetic and exciting as this album makes it out to be. From the beginning, it slowly rises to the highest point and stays there, taking the listener on a wild ride full of twists and turns from upbeat to haunting, reminiscence to disdain, apathy to obsession and more in the band's most varied project. Killer riffs and fast tempos are perfectly offset by more mesmerizing, almost ethereal tracks, with just about every vocal technique Peter has ... read more

Bleaker than ever, Peter loses himself and everyone around him in the band's most depressing entry. Focusing almost entirely on self-destruction and grief, it lends itself entirely to longer and more drawn-out passages than before. The first half is much slower and somber, the tone perking up after the title track as loss is embraced with acceptance. Lustful themes eke their way in, though they're more symbolic this time around. While it nails the gloomy atmosphere the longer tracks ... read more

Building upon their previous effort, they only improve on just about every quality. Familiar themes of lustful yearning, mournful laments, and desire for the taboo return this time with a much more bittersweet feeling. The addition of upbeat cuts contrast well with their sorrow, whether switching up the tempo within a track or between separate ones. Every piece is beautifully arranged, the only low points being those lacking in development or slightly repetitious compared to their peers. ... read more

Lust is the main theme here, and they find no shortage of ways to express it. There's long stretches of emotional longing, praises for the eerie and strange, and mournful passages filled with darkly rich compositions occasionally accompanied by atmospheric foley on certain tracks. A couple songs bring back their more aggressive tempos alongside their dark humor and indifference to public perception, but for the most part it's a slower and more sensual experience. The intro and ... read more