THE Selbst are one of the most prominent modern black metal projects around today. This was already known from their first steps taken Venezuela in 2010, and this is increasingly unanimously recognized when commenting on the course of their career, which has developed in a much more comfortable way (both on a political and economic/social level) Chile. However, despite being a band always inclined to experiment with unusual or daring solutions to apply to a black metal context, Nothe main actor and multi-instrumentalist who keeps it alive, has always denoted a certain restlessness of mind and an inner torment that have often manifested themselves in compositions that are longer than average, distressing, even influenced by the most suffering depressive black.
But N’s experimental vocation led him to never write one album the same as another; his music is black metal because it is the one that allows him to express himself best. He mixes it with other elements he likes without setting himself limits or restrictions, although we are always mainly talking about black metal.
His third full-length album comes out today, again for Debemur Morti, which follows the previous one (beautiful) by four years. Relatos de Angustia and it is the closest to the definition of masterpiece that one can imagine nowadays (often the term masterpiece is used inappropriately, haphazardly or without knowing its real meaning). For sure Despondency Chord Progressions it is his best work, the most mature, the most evolved, the one that most surprises for the variety of compositional solutions. Black depressive influences disappear completely, but the anguish of existence, the perception of human misery and the inevitability of fate remain unchanged, if not further amplified. The album is tense, frenetically fast like certain religious black, it is complicated and offers solutions that leave you speechless, like the melodic solo based on Pink Floyd (clearly prog-blues inspired) that opens When True Loneliness is Experienced, an almost cinematic moment like the end credits of a romantic-like film that doesn’t have a happy ending; or the frequent digressions into modern death metal, which we know is often influenced by progressive rock (the final part with the solos in The One who Blackened Everythingjust to cite one of the many possible examples), or even the clean singing on acoustic textures in the penultimate song Between Seclusion and Obsession, a not particularly long episode which stands out in style from the rest of the compositions despite being admirably placed in the context. Let’s not digress if traces of influences come to mind Mgla, Deathspell OmegaNightbringer/Akhlys yet barely perceptible, because Mr. N reworks everything according to his own personal vision. This guy came up with the idea of using the wah-wah effect in a black metal song to arrange a guitar line: it’s not for everyone, in fact I think only a few have done it.
The whole album is amazingly written, arranged, recorded and produced equally; it’s one of those that you wish would never end and that you listen to on repeat until you learn it by heart, despite being intricate, complex, “difficult”. It hides within it arduous melodies, tormented like a work of contemporary classical music and yet never awkward or bizarre, it is an enthralling album that has no defects but only merits. A rare gem that shines with its own light and whose brilliance must be contemplated with wonder. It remains to mention both the instrumental preparation displayed by N, increasingly greater as the years pass, and the work on the drums of his long-time friend (although always indicated as session when he participated in his records) Jonathan Heredia (drummer of Aversio Humanitas), who gives the compositions the classic extra edge. As far as I’m concerned, undermine Despondency Chord Progressions from the position of winner of record of the year 2024 I think the unthinkable will happen. (Griffar)
