The Sky Conspired Against Thee Before Thy Bones Had Dried

Repulsive the cover of this split single might be but don't let this turn you off the two bands featured here. A Pregnant Light is a one-man BM act from Grand Rapids in Michigan; about Sados, I've not been able to find much information but this act plays a mix of dark ambient, noise and experimental music.

A Pregnant Light's side "Draining Fragrance" has one of the most spectacular intros I've heard with a massive crowd-cheering sound recording backed up by martial thumping percussion. As with some other APL recordings I've heard, the song is a mix of aggression and other emotion that can sometimes be melancholy, even despairing. Melodic rock and acoustic elements are worked into the track at various points. Cold, empty-space atmosphere appears during the track's quieter moments. On the whole though, this is a very war-like piece with smart crisp drumming, an energetic and urgent pace, thrumming rhythms and robust guitar. The voices are aggressively masculine though as the song progresses, there is a counterpoint vocal far back in the mix that seems anguished. BM-styled screech voices emerge as the track nears the seventh or eighth minute. Probably the best and most unexpected is saved for the last couple of minutes in which the track goes experimental with a repeating guitar riff and echoing cavern ambience.

"Frail" by Sados sounds very black metal in its gritty textures and vocals though there is also a smooth space ambient element serving as backdrop to the frying noise drones and the raspy screams. The music seems tentative in mood, as if unable to decide what to do next, for a good part of its playing time before it suddenly plunges into a raw thundering guitar storm and bloodthirsty screams. There is a strong rhythm and deep bassy crunch though there's no percussion other than cymbals. There's considerable drama in the track's second half as the key changes back and forth. Keyboards insinuate themselves into the music gradually until they come to dominate in the last few moments of the song.

Both tracks are very good in their own way though Sados' contribution pips APL's track for drama, atmosphere and variety of music and sounds. The EP is worth tracking down if you can find it. I really wish the EP had been a bit longer to include perhaps an extra track from each act or for the Sados track to be longer as that piece deserves more treatment with more ambient effects. The guitar work is really something to behold: it has a strong galloping feel and urgency that stay with you long after the EP has finished.