Norse - Ascetic Review

The name “Ascetic” immeadiatelly called my attention because I had an idea of what the word meant. Well, as I didn’t have the exact idea of the meaning of the word for my and my fan’s sake I looked it up at Google and I found that ascetic is from ascetism which is “characterized by or suggesting the practice of severe self-discipline and abstention from all forms of indulgence, typically for religious reasons”. Ah, okay, now the album tittle makes all the sense. However, it doesn’t represent exactly what musicwise the album is all about. The music within the album is a total musical chaos or a very near representation of it. Maybe, just maybe, the album represents the opposition to it as the main philosophy of Black Metal was to be the opposition to all organized religions. Just a thought.

Okay then, let’s talk about what is the most important thing in “Ascetic” which is clearly the music. Many fans will strange it at its very first chords – well, after them too. As a reminder, a few days ago we had the pleasure to review Veilburner’s “Lurkers in the Capsule of Skull” another Black Metal band that used dissonances as the main drive. I have to say that Norse are bolder in its use as all songs have dissonances, background noises, exquisite scales and tempos. The difference is that in “Ascetic” dissonances are the main drive of the songs not a part of them. Norse write their songs inspired by dissonances and not to adapt them in the songs. There is a big difference in it. All the musical construction are based on the use of exquisite chords and fitting tempo and cadence into them. The outcome is a kind of music that many fans may strange. Not the kind even the most loyal extreme metaller is used to.

When I wrote I Veilburner’s “Lurkers in the Capsule of Skull” mentioned that I couldn’t understand how long the use of dissonances took so long to be incorporated into Metal music as they belong to each other. Listening to Norse “Ascetic” I’m pretty sure of that due to what the band achieves here. It’s not only the impression of chaos but also the mood and the fiercy musical attack to all senses. When I listen to a track as “Fearless Filth Seeker” it’s possible to notice all the layers of sounds that Norse built with lots of care. The song is very intimidating. Each note, each chord give the fan goosebumps as the song goes on. But it’s only “Fearless Filth Seeker” that does that to my dear fan, following track “Accelerated Subversion” has the same effect. I guess the word cacophony explains better the effect that the album makes in the fan ears.

Norse “Ascetic” will be released on October 08th via Transcending Obscurity Records.

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