Dark Space III

Not many bands make as good a first impression on me as Darkspace did. I'm not overly familiar with ambient music outwith brief interludes, and black metal is generally something I avoid where possible. On paper this is everything I ought to despise: long and fairly repetitive songs, somewhat sketchy and murky production and of course furious playing, particularly when it comes to the drums. But as with space itself, despite the simplicity of the concept the actuality is infinitely more complex and fascinating. Something about this band's work just clicks with me, and it resonates with me in a way that I couldn't possibly have expected.

The reason that I love this so much is undoubtedly to do with the keyboard. It gives the listener the feeling of floating peacefully in space, which at first thought is quite pleasant. They're not quite uplifting, but there's still something soothing about the melodies that they produce. They tend to lead the way in terms of innovation too by changing their style and tone frequently and guiding the other elements with it, but they never make anything feel forced or rushed, it's just a natural progression from one passage to another. However, in contrast to the calming nature of the keys, the guitars are always either ominously chugging away or looming large through thundering tremolo riffs. Honestly they're not much more than noise half the time, but somehow their utilisation in conjunction with the keys is superb. While the ambient sections leave the listener almost feeling happy, when the guitar comes in there's a sense of dread and fear, and it portrays space in an entirely different manner from the keyboard, as a bleak emptiness rather than a beautiful, tranquil haven. Coupled with the furious blast-beats that come from the drum for almost the duration of Dark Space III (surely done by a machine, or else the guy's legs must have fallen off due to the effort he put in) there's something very nerve-wracking about listening to this. I don't think I've ever heard music that channels an idea so vividly before, and that's what makes this thing so wonderful. Darkspace create atmosphere like no other band I've come across, and every song is a journey despite the start and the end not being wildly far apart. It goes through periods of tension and relaxation, always keeping the listener on their toes, and despite being theoretically simple Dark Space III manages to be one of the most intricate albums I think I will ever hear. Although the production obscures the actual musicianship this does not detract, and if anything adds more of a feeling of helplessness and unease to the overall product.

Simply, this masterpiece boggles the mind, and it is not the only album by Darkspace to do so. This band is frankly fantastic, and if you've not heard them then I firmly suggest that you give them a shot. Make no mistake, this kind of thing is not for everyone, but if it clicks with you as it did with me then you're in for an epic voyage.

Today I will be reviewing one of the most fascinating black metal albums I have ever heard in my past time as a music connoisseur. This album, like 100% of the music I will be reviewing, is meant to trigger a mindset. You are supposed to become encapsulated by the ambiance and your imagination, which are invoked by the music. In this case, prepare to be launched into the universe, millions of light years away from home. Outside of the habitable zone for humans, and into a truly dark environment never traveled by our kind. Think “Alien” meets “Star Wars” meets a chaotic universe which has lost all sense of order & balance; and you are a mere human aboard an Imperial Star Destroyer attempting to survive following the annihilation of your planet.

This masterpiece, Dark Space III, is dark, energetic, bleak, and chaotic. Even the packaging of the CD expresses the darkness it contains. You do not receive an elegant packaging or anything that seems remotely worth your money. Just a black piece of plastic with a black polycarbonate CD, which says “Dark Space III” on it. Plain and simple. The work is divided into 7 compositions, spanning about 80 minutes. It is one of the longer works found in the world of black metal. The tracks are titled in order from “Dark 3.11” - “Dark 3.17” (named this way because this is the 3rd album by Darkspace, and the 11th – 17th tracks they have created since their conception). All sense of physicality, attraction, and beauty are lost, and made dull and bleak. The looks are very deceiving.

The album begins with a minute long introduction using vocal / keyboards (on Dark 3.11), giving you an initial sense of what to expect. You are undoubtedly in space at this point, and the mood is ominous yet so soothing. Your mind is calm. Now prepare yourself for a sonic blast of heavily distorted guitars, mach-2 drums, inaudible hellish shrieks, and the most amazing display of atmospheric black metal you have ever heard.

There are 2 sets of guitars playing throughout the album. The rhythm guitar holds a thick, undying, and heavily distorted tone, but nothing too unique to the genre. This is the backbone of the album, and plays amazingly well with Darkspace's non-typical riff structure. This guitar unleashes streams of heavy and simple riffs at different tempos and patterns, while never deviating too far from its usual tone. This is what gives the album its epic and grand feeling, and what makes it undeniably black metal.

Guitar number two is what really gives the Darkspace their unique signature. I have never heard such a guitar tone in my life, and it is really captivating when set on the background of the crushing riffs of the rhythm guitar. I really cannot describe it beyond what I just said, you will just have to hear it for yourself. The harmonies played with this guitar are just brilliant, and suit the theme of this album just perfectly. They are often very psychedelic, and give a sense of order to the chaos that encompasses it. It never stays too long. There is no guitar solo, just creative use of the guitar to add another layer of wonder. The bass guitar does something but I can't really tell what. Perhaps simply to add to the heaviness and depth. Whatever it adds to the composition, I'm sure the album wouldn't sound the same without it.

The drums are played in typical black metal / death metal fashion. They are very deep and heavy, with constant double bass. They are played very often in sync with the rhythm guitar, which is probably why this album sounds as heavy as it does. Cymbals are used as a tool to add to the chaos being brewed by the guitars. Again, as with the use of every instrument by Darkspace, the drums are not simply a tool used to keep a beat in the simple compositional sense. They are meant to create an atmosphere, and chart the rises, climaxes, and falls which you will hear throughout the album. You will find, if you listen carefully enough, that the drum's speed corresponds to whether each song is attempting to create a hectic, chaotic mood, or a deep, epic mood. Try to pick this up because the way each instrument is played is reflecting on what you are feeling.

In all honestly, lyrics don't matter here. If you can actually make out words being spoken, I will present you with the "sharpest, most amazing ears trophy". Here you have your typical black metal growls and shrieks, yet they are subdued beneath the instruments which mount over it. These add to the atmosphere of despair and chaos which are built by the layering of instruments described above. On certain tracks, the band has chosen to take excerpts from various sci-fi movie dialogues, which, as you can imagine, make the album even more epic. It also gives you a nice break to hear a human voice among the alien-like shrieking, and adds to the variation that is built into the album. Anyone listening to this album should really see the vocals as a mere instrument and not a vehicle used to convey a message like in most music. These instruments convey the message together. What that message is, is up to your imagination to decipher.

The keyboards: This album would be 20x less immense without them. They are constant, and undying like the blackness of space. This is what really gives Dark Space III the feeling of desperation, and awe. There is nothing fancy being done with them musically on the basic level, other than its very unique tone. The simplicity is what gives the album the another layer of depth, but that is not all. If you play attention, you will hear various spacey electronic sounds being sprinkled amidst each composition. The variation you will hear will astound you each time.

Now you’ve read the meat of my review, you should lock yourself in a dark room, and listen to one of my favorite tracks off the album: Dark 3.17. I feel this track encompasses the entire mood of the album, and sums up everything the band attempts to convey. There is an overwhelming sense of melancholy and urgency, yet it feels so calming. Your time is running out, yet you don't care. It is your last stand against some dark overwhelming force, and you've managed to go on long enough. The last 6 tracks have exhausted every last bit of energy and soul left within you, and it is time to pass slowly, and so you do once the track continues slowly into silence.

I really have to say that there is nothing really unique about the way Darkspace is playing their instruments. Most of it is typical to the black metal genre. Distorted guitars: Check. Heavy and fast drums: Check. Inaudible screams: Check. What makes it a masterpiece?

A) The structure of the music. They have managed to keep the listener interested at all points. There is constant variation in the grand 80 minute scheme of the album, and so much to focus on. Whether it is the psychedelic guitar harmonies, the epic rush of the guitars, the lively pounding of this massive drum set, or the deep layered use of electronic keyboards, they have found a way to weave a work that is constantly flowing. The moment you begin to understand one pattern in the song structure, it changes and throws you off again. They were even considerate enough to give your fragile ears a little break from the sound of infinity with track 5, which is purely ambient and requires very little of your brain power to hear.

B) They stuck to a constant theme. They have guidelines to work within, and this is what allows them to create such climactic, emotional, and epic music. The entire album is really one piece of music, and it keeps you drawn to what will come next. It is like a story, or a movie for your ears. Very few bands are creating music in such a manner these days, and if they do, it often tends to be boring. This is never the case with Darkspace.

This album will require multiple listens to fully appreciate. Like the best of wines, it will take time to work your taste buds and pick out the unique flavors and subtle variations throughout. You will pick out new details in the compositions with every listen, and again, like wine, it will only get better as it ages. Ideally, Dark Space III should be listened to in one sitting, as a single entity, and in the dark (preferably while looking at the stars and contemplating the deep meaning of life and our seeming insignificance). This is something you may have to get used to, as most people pick out their favorite 1 or 2 tracks, and ignore the rest of the album. If you don’t have 80 minutes to spend, even one track will definitely move you off your feet. This is a shaking album, which has never failed to motivate me when I’m feeling low, or make me shiver out of the energy it releases.

***This review was originally written for "Interface to Self" and re-formatted for Metal Archives***
http://interfacetoself.blogspot.ca/2012/04/audial-transmission-i-dark-space-iii_16.html

Darkspace is a band that has managed to cultivate a unique musical vision and image heavily inspired by the cold emptiness of space. Rather than focusing on typical themes such as Satanism, Wroth, Zhaaral and Zorgh present themselves as extra-terrestrials and play spacey black metal that is cold and punishing. To further maintain their enigmatic nature, almost all of the band's communication is done through their personal website (www.darkcyberspace.com).

The new album represents the pinnacle of the musical evolution of Darkspace. While it is not much different stylistically from their last two releases, the album is their most sonically dense and focused release yet. The intensity of the music varies between fast-paced and slower, more atmospheric passages, but the atmosphere tends to remain consistently cold and eerie throughout the album. The music is played with a feeling of detachment that makes it quite unnerving. The three vocalists blend their vocals into the music rather than worrying about lyrics, using them as another instrument among the maelstrom of crushing riffs, spacey keyboards and blasting drum machine beats. Unlike many other bands, Darkspace manages to make their keyboards and drum machine into an asset, as they only serve to further enhance the distant feeling of their music. Tasteful use of sci-fi movie samples only further enhances the fear of the unknown that the trio brings to their listeners.

The success of Darkspace lies in their ability to keep a listener captivated for an entire album. There are no individual standouts here, as all of the tracks are consistent and have no need for specific hooks to catch the attention of the listener. This album is best listened to when you can make the time to focus on it and truly feel the atmosphere of the music and fully experience the intense musical vision of Darkspace.

(originally posted on the MetalMusicArchives: http://www.metalmusicarchives.com/)

What a band this is! Darkspace is one of my favorite black metal bands. Some say that they are just Paysage d'Hiver with better production, but that may just be the key here as I would never regard any albums from Tobias Mockl's solo project as highly as Darkspace. And he's had nine or so tries with Paysage d'Hiver; Darkspace has had three albums and they all blew my mind. The album on the spotlight today, however, is the third offering: Dark Space III.

"Dark 3.11" is an awesome song to begin with. It starts off with a dark ambient intro before storming off into the tremolos, blastbeats, and more melodic sounding lead guitar. There are certain hooks in this song that have my attention really grabbed. First is the break at 3:50, still maintaining some momentum until the blastbeating storm at the 4:15 mark. The song continues on with the same awesome elements until the next hook: the outro. Beginning at the 8:30 mark, I'm given the most awesome melodic lead in this song. The feeling is like being pulled into the gravity well of a star. It's fast, it's dark, it's atmospheric, it's black metal.

...and that's just the first song!

On "Dark 3.12", we have a slower intro with sorrowful lead chords. The tempo kicks into high power soon though, still keeping the sorrowful lead chords. I feel that these lead chords could be reminiscent of Paysage d'Hiver along with the extra atmospheric keyboards in this song. The sorrowful chords give way then to more Darkspace-esque tremolo melodic lead guitar. A good hook here is at the 3:52 mark where the guitars break into chugging while still going at high speed. The song slows at the 6:25 mark with a reintroduction of the sorrowful chords. Once more slowing down at 9:01, the gets ready to end. All the instruments stop except the sorrowful guitar and the super atmospheric electronics.

Time for "3.13". It starts out with the fast guitars already roaring before the drums get up to speed. This song seems to slow down a bit more often, though the the guitars and drums are still fast. We also get to see more of the sorrowful lead guitar, and we get to see more of it here than on the previous song. Strange keyboards here too. They sound like some weird violin in places. Chugging breaks in at 6:37 with triplet notes. Actually, the song sticks with the fast chugging for a while, which is a nice change of things because it wouldn't do for every song by Darkspace to sound exactly the same. It actually gets progressively slower though the lead guitar flys out on tremolo riffs as the song gets closer to its end.

A standout song is "Dark 3.14" for its slowness. It begins with awesome sounding hauting keyboards/lead guitar that make me feel like I'm standing on the edge of a huge abyss that could possibly be space. The note pattern of this haunting sound is actually the basis of this rather simple song. There are no screams to be found here, just black metal ambiance.

"Dark 3.15" is a creepy interlude...

"Dark 3.16" comes round then, and it starts off with chugging right off the bat. The riffing style is more odd in this intro. Then, ambiance and spoken word. When the metal kicks back in, we have the same odd riffing style that came before the break. Finally, at 4:13, the hyperdrive kicks in to the metal spaceship, and we are sent into black metal speed. The electronics sound like a raw orchestral performance at these parts. Drums slow down and eventually stop at 6:51 with guitar and spacy electronics still going. The song starts back up again to a breakneck pace not too long after. As the song approaches and goes over the 10 minute mark, the lead guitar gets really into my head and gives me more visions: the feeling of being caught in the blast of a supernova. Nearing the end, of the song, the programmed bass drum gets really furious. After everything ends, there is only ambience.

The final and longest song here is "Dark 3.17, which clocks in just short of the 17 minute mark. It starts of with ambience and hushed rhythm guitar roaring, before the rest of the instruments kick into a slower tempo with mid-paced chugging. Sorrowful lead guitar makes a return once again at 2:16 when the chugging breaks away. Tempo picks up at 4:10, though the song still stays relatively slow until the 6:05 minute mark where it gets to its highest speed for the song. Rather than giving me a vision of death in space this time, though, the vision I get from this song is the sight of some amazing looking nebula structures while out on a spacewalk. The song sinks back into mid-paced chugging at 7:52 and finally into single chords at 9:08. The song stays slow a long while here, displaying the divinity of the void before totally fading out. What a way to wrap this up.

Dark Space III is a must have for all black metal enthusiasts. If "Dark 3.14" was a little more eventful, this would be a perfect album. It's not easy to find on physical format, but I can tell you that it would be well worth the effort to find.

I've been waiting quite a while (a year almost) for this third instalment and the wait proved worthwhile indeed. The music should be heard as one long track to get the full benefit out of it and I sometimes wonder whether it was just out of consideration for those needing coffee, tea and fag breaks that the musicians shaped and split the music into seven long tracks. Compared to the second album, this third album is more aggressively black metal in orientation with touches of cold wintry ambient synth work. (I did try to get the first album but the distributor in Europe sent a copy of the second album with incorrect labelling instead.) Right form the warm rolling synth start, we are plunged into the black and unforgiving Darkspace universe: it's an epic and often majestic journey but the overall impression is of an unhinged, almost hysterical desperation as though this universe's existence was being threatened by an unseen chaotic force.

Although the tracks aren't all that distinct from one another (track 4 tends to stand out the most for its doomy Gothic atmosphere) and track breaks are more like slight ambient pauses that create a false sense of security before the next downpour of furious acid guitar showers, insane machine drumming, motorcycle rhythms and deranged synth sprinkles, the music is complex and layered enough that it never gets boring. At any one time there are at least two sets of vocals going: one set is thin and fragile, very screechy and often ghost-like, the other set is deep, menacing and barely rising out of the rushing music. Of course this is deliberate, the voices and music merging into one entity. The impression is of helpless humanity being buffeted around by various cosmic catastrophes orchestrated by a malevolent conscious force with extinction being the only relief.

Probably the only gripe people may have is that there's really no let-up in the entire recording apart from when the tracks come down from their high-speed frenzy into fairly quiet codas, of which the musicians could have put in more time and thought into developing into substantial passages of contrast, and the music can be too full-on and overwhelming to be appreciated. But you could argue that's the point of the album: we're living in a cosmos that doesn't need us and where our existence is an accident; the cosmos is indifferent to our fate no matter what threats come our way and may even conspire against us. You're meant to be totally blown away and crushed by the time it all ends and the album does a good job of that well before the last track arrives with track 6 in particular a furious and powerfully thundering force of nature, and one of the scariest life experiences a person can have.

This is one recording Darkspace should consider playing live in a large venue such as a large contemporary art gallery or a cathedral with high ceilings so that the music interacts with the building's unique space and acoustic characteristics to produce something different. The pauses between tracks could become cold echoing ambience that unites the seven tracks into one work and adds another malevolent dimension that contrasts with and enhances the sonic roar. Thinking about this idea some more, I consider the cathedral to be the more appropriate setting for a Darkspace sound art experience as this album especially has a nihilistic despairing aspect.

Darkspace has put out a third album after two fantastic albums. The third one stays in the black metal/ambient genre, but they are starting to explore some more ideas. The band got its fame from Paysage d'Hiver, but now it's looking like Paysage d'Hiver is going to be the side project of the Darkspace guy. This highly anticipated release does not let down.

The band plays a unique combination of dark ambient and black metal, but the style of black metal has switched on each albums. This album is almost a mixture of their first two albums, bu they start to explore a mixture of the chugging parts and the traditional hypnotic black metal. Darkspace intermixes both of these styles to create some hypnotic characters that rival some of the black metal greats, in a new and excitingway. As the name implies, Darkspace creates the emptiness of space, mixed with evilness. This mixture turns out to be completely brooding and perfect for the band's approach. The band's approach uses ambient passages and actual black metal to create the ambient feel to the album, aside from the huge hooks some of the songs evolve into (Dark 3.13 is a perfect example). While listening to the album, it's obvious that the atmosphere is the main goal of the album, and Darkspace makes the atmosphere exactly as one would expect, yet not using the standard black metal approach.

In total, the riffs, the ambient pieces, and the incoherent vocals lead the listen in a winding spiral in outer space; there is a coherent confusion through this album that keeps the listener in the atmosphere and all around enticed to put it on again. Don't expect this album to catch your attention on the first few listens; it's complex, dark, and ambient. The album is a joy to listen to and repeated listens only bring out more and more complex hypnotic states in the listener.

The blue coloured CD and the minimalist packaging are all very good but in no way prepare the unaccustomed listener to what lies within. Darkspace hail from Switzerland, define ‘underground’ and have a dedicated fanbase.

While Aborym tell tales of post apocalyptic cybernetic future on Earth and Sirius play metal that reaches far into the cold reaches of space, Darkspace occupy the oblivion and nothingness at the cusp of existence, only a muted blip light years away but a ferocious energy in close quarters.

Darkspace III is testing at times, and for the majority the vocals are too faint; this however can be resolved by cranking the volume until the foreboding riffs assimilate and come full circle around you, creating a satisfying void of experience.

The record is very dreamlike and distant however occasionally, the ambient spell is ripped in half by bass drum driven chugging, like the satisfying break in “Dark 3.13” and similarly halfway through “Dark 3.14,” a useful tool in telling their tale indeed, but also a bonus monotony repellent.

This sounds like a juxtaposition of the emptiness of space and the futility of organic life in such a light. The riffs are reflective and solemn coated with a light layer of frost, but at a turn in events the riffs will have density and power in grand and sweeping changes.

All the keys, synth and effects are perfectly picked to adorn their partner riff or passage. The keyboard accompaniment and futuristic sound echoes Limbonic Art in their most ‘normal’ peaks, maybe even Regain era Keep of Kalessin.

A similar case with Aborym, if you like quality black metal you will be spoilt for choice with Darkspace, unless you are a purist of the sternest disposition. Having said this, the maelstrom-like claustrophobia and esoteric stance of Darkspace’s music may appeal to more hardened black metal fanciers.

This latest album in accordance with tradition again has named tracks simply in number order with the album number as a prefix. Darkspace III is very progressive and apart from the short instrumental “Dark 3.15,” with every song clocking in around the 11 minute mark (not to say length = progression of course!).

Exhibiting terror and tension tactics, which push the listener to the edge of their seat and the edge of their perception, Darkspace have unleashed another monumental album which if you are willing to let overwhelm and consume you is a gratifying experience.

In the black metal underground, Darkspace is a well-known band because of their particular style, simple yet amazing. They come from Switzerland and consist in a 3-men formation: two guitars, one bass and all those players do some part of the vocals. They use a drum machine instead of a real drumset because it fits perfectly in their style and atmospheres. If you have already heard I or II, then you should know what to expect from a new Darkspace's release. If Darkspace I was a musical annihilation, pure deconstructive energy, then Darkspace II was less aggressive but more reflexive. The evolution was in the songs duration, which increased a lot till a huge mastodontic 23 minutes song, Dark 2.8.


Darkspace III mixes perfectly the sound of the first album with the atmosphere of the second one. A dangeorous alchemy which requires experience and musical ability to result good. The result is priceless. We start with cosmic keyboards, which recreates a wonderful ambient sound. The listener starts to dream to fly in the huge universe, but suddenly...


BIG BANG.


A chaotic metalstorm devastates the listener, with fast rythms and terryfing screams. There are lead melodies driven by guitars or keyboards while the rythm part keeps doing the same pattern played by the keyboards in the beggining. This pace continues thorugh the first and the second songs, with some little breaks or slow-downs here and there. Dark 3.13 starts with the same pace of the previous song but it soon change into more a more thrash metal riffage. That was quite a surprise the first time I listened to it, because Darkspace never played thrash metal riffs in their song. Anyway, that riff keeps going on while angry screams and keyboards play in the background.


In the beginning I said that this album also included the atmosphere of Darksace II. In fact, the songs Dark 3.14 and Dark 3.15 show percetly the ambient component of Darkspace. Dark 3.15 is the only song on the album made only by keyboards (more like Paysage d'Hiver, actually) and it is only 3 minutes long.


Time to close the ambient part of the ablum to prepare oursleves for the most precious and beautiful duo ever composed by Darkspace. One song is 14 minutes long and the other one lasts after 17 minutes. Those songs are a summary of the whole Darkspace existence, they contain all the components of their music-style. I would suggest one of those songs to someone who never listened Darkspace, because you'll find there what Darkspace really is.


This release stops after 80 minutes. It isn't a easy listen the first times, even for experienced listeners. More like a relic than an album, Darkspace III needs to be listened carefully to comprehend the real value of effort behind it. I suggest to buy this album to eveyone who likes black metal.

Darkspace is a strange band- it’s a rather simple formula that shouldn’t work (1 part blizzard-style guitars, 1 part blast beats way down in the mix, repeat for 20 minutes) but yet there’s some point where you stop thinking “this is mindless noise” and start trancing to the endless, sort-of-hellish-but-also-spacey-and-awesome waves of distortion. It was a fairly cool way of going about things, but also kind of redundant considering Tobias’s previous one-man effort (Paysage D’Hiver) was already rolling out plenty of quality space/distortion workouts that were a good deal harsher, better and transcendent-er.

But this is still a pretty cool record, mind, probably my favourite Darkspace yet. It’s still got the tremelo-till-death thing in most of it, but I dare say it’s also quite accessible (relatively so) and there’s even a few big riffin’ sections and, well, melodies. One might say this is Darkspace’s attempt at writing their own black album/Countdown to Extinction- it’s relatively concise and certainly easier listening then anything else they’ve done, and luckily it’s also of a rather high quality.

Of course, the whole thing is still pretty extreme and it’s unlikely you’ll be hearing this playing on your local FM station anytime soon. It’s hard to describe the sound on offer here in that much detail, because it‘s not terrible complex- there’s lot of relentlessly fast guitars blazing away in a tremelo blizzard- using the word “Blizzard” may sound a bit ridiculous but honestly it fits really well- screams and drum blasts emanate occasionally, and keyboards and the occasional bit of lead guitar float over the top, giving the otherwise brutal noise an ethereal and otherworldly feel. Pro music writers must love this kind of stuff- imagine the metaphors you could indulge in! Nuclear bombs, supernovas, the big bang, the faster bits invoke a primal awe that get all these “big explosion” metaphors flowing. Anyway- and here’s where this album differentiated from any Darkspace/PDH I’ve here- the blast have been complemented nicely by some chugging sections- a sort of industrial/death metal feel that’s still pretty crushing but overall a general relief from the otherwise non stop 16th notes. It’s fairly simplistic riffing but still quite effective- the excellent outro of 3:13 with the spacey filtered guitars flying over the chunky, mid tempo riffing, the slow descent into insanity that’s 3:16 (complete with a chilling and perfectly placed spoken word sample)- the huge, percussive riffsin 3:14- it’s all really straightforward but incredibly well done.

And that’s the story of this whole album, really. Massive, slow/mid tempo riffs, pulsing, opaque synths and ambient sections colliding with incomprehensible blasts, screams and guitar noise. It probably doesn’t sound amazing from what I’ve said but it is really, really good- whether it’s the lead guitar line and classical-ish key changes (well, it’s vague but I thought it was there) of the aforementioned 3:13, the more industrial-ish, mid tempo crushing of 3:14 or the huge walls of noise in most of the songs, it’s all been executed perfectly. The songs here aren’t terribly concise (although relatively short by Darkspace standards, 7 of the songs comprise 77 minutes) but it’s unlikely you’ll get bored- clearly these guys are better songwriters then you‘d originally think, building everything up and keeping the tension and atmosphere unbearable thick. And what an atmosphere… an awkward but fitting metaphor of this album’s sound and the mood it invokes would possibly be getting dumped by a huge wave- you flail around like a rag doll as a raging torrent has its’ way with you. It’s brutal and possibly painful, but it’s power on an inhuman scale and it is well worth witnessing.

Spacey, hypnotic yet mind boggling heavy and inducing a strange sense of awe and dread at the same time (very much like that huge wave thing- damn, I’m so good at metaphors!)- this album is excellent and well worth your time if you like spacey stuff and can handle a bit of noise. In short: highly recommended.

Black Metal has progressed quite a bit from where it started off, one would say. Even though a majority of bands have always been content with paying homage to the forefathers and adding their own little variations to the tried and tested formulae (absolutely nothing wrong with this of course), there have always been bands that constantly pushed the boundaries, thwarting black metal into artistically abstract terrain. Well, Darkspace pushes black metal into the farthest and murkiest realms of outer space. A turbulent ride indeed - one which plays host to chaotic crescendos, discomfortingly calm passages, relentless variation amidst repetition and ethereal sequences amongst other things. A turbulent ride yes, but I promise you, a truly otherworldly experience.

Since the onset of Darkspace, minimalism has been an oft used tool - from the album covers to the song titles. Those of you familiar with the previous releases know that this is reflected in their music as well. The same approach is applied to III. Concerning the music, when I say minimalist, I'm talking about the fact that there are particular motifs that each song revolves around. There is no particular structure or order that the songs rigidly follow - things are built around these motifs; and how.

The production on the album is stellar for the music it contains. There is a thick, almost guttural wall of sound which sits firmly at the bottom of every song, composed of guitar, bass and drums. Yes, the drums are mixed really low, merging it with the wall of sound giving rise to a distant, spacey feel to the songs - a previously absent trait. The vocals, provided by all members of the band, are heavily distorted and mixed really low, creating a very 'alien' sound. Where Darkspace have really raised their game is in the keyboards department. Their use of the instrument is accomplished and masterful. Tones were similar to the sound on Paysage d'Hiver, the brother project. The keyboards drift in and out of the wall of sound, provide a disturbing backdrop, add to the spacey atmosphere and serve as the lead instrument, as and when is required. Though the ideas thrown in maybe minimalistic, the final experience one obtains from the album is far from a simple one. The outcome is a ticket to ride on an astral voyage. What we have here isn't regular black metal. Darkspace take elements of different types of black metal and throw their own charm over it. Blistering tremolo picking sections, droning near-ambient passages, sweeping keyboard interludes as well as some chugging black/death riffs are just some of the things you can expect to find on this album.

The guitar driven debut, I and the synth-laden, black/ambient sophomore release, II, were good, unique albums in their own right and gave Darkspace much deserved recognition in the black metal fraternity. With III, the Swiss trio has managed to reach a pinnacle of sorts. 80 minutes may seem long, but things never get boring or monotonous. Let me get to the point. This is a splendid album and as a black metal fan, you must have this. However, you do need to appreciate black metal to get into this album. I don't see many casual listeners of the genre digesting Darkspace's III, unless one is very big on space. (pun intended)

Originally written for http://www.kvltsite.com

Darkspace return after 3 years with their expected album Dark Space III, with all song names and the title following the trend of their the first three releases. Titles are simple numbers that give you the album number and the track number in the title. Covers are minimal with a small ambiguous picture of outer space giving a bit of a creative guide to the listener. Booklets are empty, cds feature a pentagram etched on them, and the back simply has a very small tracklisting written on the back. Clearly Darkspace are still a band that put most of their creative focus into their music, and while III is not anything unexpected it is an excellent album nonetheless.

The music of Darkspace here is a blend of the first two albums. The heavy rhythmic palm muting riffs of the first album that almost gave a death metal touch are back after being put aside for II. The huge airy and open keyboard sounds of two are also back, and the III almost feels as if it is the best of the first two albums blended together. The songs are all very long, but this time the music is as varied as ever for Darkspace standards.

One of the key things that Darkspace do are create a wall of sound rather than distinct riffs and melodies. This is effective because you don't notice repeats or reoccurring structures which makes the music flow very organically. The mix is also very organic, including a good amount of distortion on the guitars bass and vocals. The drumming is still being handled by a computer and I think the synth is also programmed as it is rarely actually playing anything melodic. The synth creates moods and bursts of sound which work extremely effectively. Either they give a very empty hallow and airy sound to back samples like in 3.16, or they work to make a huge burst of sound to create a climax to a build up section, as in 3.17.

The guitars and bass are one of the most interesting things about Darkspace. As in Paysage d'Hiver I cannot tell what is being played at all. Some may be turned off by the overly harsh sound that the over-distorted guitars create, but personally love this distorted and full sound paired with the emty synths, unintelligible structures, and huge song lengths. The whole result ends nicely in a very bleak and empty vision of the far ends of space if the listener wishes to immerse himself in the music. The palm muted chords in the guitars detract from this feeling a bit, and instead substitute a bit of uneasiness and chaos into the mix.

The album is really the best of the first two albums. It takes the long airy passages of II and mixes then with the rhythmic Death Metal riffing of I. To all fans of empty, repetitive, ambient, and noisy music, I would recommend this to you. Darkspace is really more about understanding the feeling the members want you to get (which is the bands title, the concept of Dark Space) than listening to the musical aspects of the album, and it is the most effective album Darkspace have made to date in achieving this goal.