The Gate of Void Abyss

A raging star of infernal passion encaged beneath a gravity well of black hulk heavy, solar wind whispers of hidden truths upon interstellar leylines to its chosen sun worship heralds, does the sorcerous suffer poetry of Chute du Soliel rise to shatter the chains encased around its hellfire hands. Born into burning rage in the age of 2018, this Chinese three piece entity formed of Nekrokrow, Purulentreek and Apocalypticbell, has focused its attentions upon a small, but potent, library of kosmic black metal magick incantations. The first was, Thousand Keys, in which the incinerating flames of Chute du Soliel were first brought to birth, providing a four spell fulmination of the darkest foundations, one that would build the bridge to its second foray into the coldest depths of space. With physical artefacts provided by the gelatinous grume embrace of Under the Dark Soil, it would be this second incantation to set the ephemeral world aflame with unholy conflagration.

For the flames grow ever brighter by the carrion call of The Gate of Void Abyss, as the sole tendrils wrap around the iron cage and begin to tear it asunder. An ominous sound of black metal experimentation and astral aural infection, this sophomore incantation takes all that the debut had to offer and elevated everything that came before. A delicate compositional contrast of warp speed tempo, ambient black hole atmospherics and mid paced melodic passages, The Gate of Void Abyss is the portal into a dimension of infinite light and depthless shadow.

After the wondrous introductory spell, “I, Oathbreaker”, whose droning march of instrumental ennui allows for the perfect entry into The Gate of Void Abyss, the first element to be noted is that of the punishing percussion itself. Nekrokrow is a whirlwind of blasphemous inferno here, maintaining a hideous tempo of light speed drum patterns, never once allowing for the percussion on display to not sing a rhythmic sorcery all of its own making. Drum tolls, blast beats, breakdowns, double kicks and fills galore—second spell, “Beneath the Shrine of Void”, perfectly encapsulates this statement, scorching the flesh from the opening chime, before drawing to a slower crawl as the guitars grow dreamier, and an expert medley of percussive furor drives the tempo back to hellish speeds.

Equal in its hellish assault is the guitar work itself, which has been handled here by all three members, this fact alone illuminating the wide variety of melodies and passages on display. The same as the percussion, it is rare for The Gate of Void Abyss to be free of this malignant melody necromancy, as a swirling eddy of soaring leads, slashing tremolo, infectious riffs and eclectic composition ensure that no moment is free from their hypnotic power. No other spell than, “The Last Spheri”, which, despite it being the shortest full spell upon the incantation, chokes its runtime with melancholic melody after melancholic melody, the mid paced tempo of the spell allowing for the three fire virtuosity of Chute du Soliel to shake the very heavens themselves.

The vocal oration is also worthy of note, as the vibrant, almost crystal clear production allows both for the void possessed rasps of Nekrokrow to penetrate best, as well as the clean choral orations seasoned across several of the incantation’s spells. “Blasphemous Ritual” is the most potent formulation of this essence, its duelling duet of Nekrokrow’s snarling howls and the operatic bellows of the undead chorus, creating a spectacular exhibition of engrossing lament. A weeping tragedy of a god torn from the celestial egg and tossed headlong into the blackest of astral oceans.

For it is indeed a tragedy of alchemical augury that Nekrokrow has penned with his choice of lyricism and thematic creation, his steady cultist hand creating a perditious realm of interdimensional occultism. Questions of philosophical perception existence, theological deity destruction, infinite mind manifestation, astral hellfire landscapes, alchemical shrine experimentation and esoteric heretic blasphemies; all to lend sincerity of soul to the sounds on display, which can be equally said of the visual work created for The Gate of Void Abyss. Apocalypticbell has outdone herself with the winged portal swirling nightmare of esoteric splendour that is emblazoned upon the cover, the sheer mastery of the illustrative skill executed an artistry all of its own morbid making.

The Gate of Void Abyss is the altar arcane broken and thrown into the moaning yaw of the fragrant celestial abyss. Captivating, powerful, experimental and thoughtful, Chute du Soliel’s second incantation is their greatest to date, and hopefully a solar pledge promise of future spellcraft to come. An experience that both surprises with its compositional choices and possesses with its infectious hauntings, those unfamiliar with the entity would find this the perfect entry into their esoteric black star blasphemies, as the eternal light of the imprisoned truth scrims the flesh of mortal frame and leaves only the spirits of those aligned to those eldritch patterns first woven before the expulsion of chaos and the shackles of law.

Originally published in Gloomhammer IV