Death Circus

There are many black metal sub-genres, for example: symphonic black metal, melodic black metal, atmospheric black metal and etc. I think that VIXIVI with this album established new sub-genre, called Scary Black Metal, because it really scares.

It's really pity, that album lasts only 17 minutes, but this 17 minutes are minutes of nightmares and pleasure. From the first track, 'Vixivisich Igmazest', we can understand how original album is this. This is scary sound from horror films and there is strange voice, saying 'Welcome', while you realize what is waiting here, in 'Death Circus'.

In this album are many fillers. They are mainly to make atmosphere of horror and death. Unfortunately, songs are very short here, but it's really enough. Guitars have most brutal tuning and are played on first string, sometimes second string can be used. It's lamentable that there aren't guitar solos, but through, they are not necessary. Bass is always in the mix and plays main riffs along with guitars. But in some songs I could hear some riffs, which were played only by bass, I think it makes more diversity.

Mostly I was interested in drums. They are not typical for black metal, they are really killer. Here drumming has very big tempo. I wonder, how Snare didn't break. Along with Snare, Crushes give songs more brutality. It seems, while drumming, Zestigma was changing Hihats several times. I thought that there is drumming machine for a while.

Also, without keyboards, this album would be nothing. It plays mainly in the first scale, sometimes in second, but in the song 'Your Eyes', it reaches third scale too. Also keyboards play melody that really scares. For example: songs 'Spirits' and 'Child' remind me some horror movies and I always, when I hear them, think, why there isn't a horror film, called 'Death Circus'.

Vocals here are very strong too. Along with typical black metal rasp, you can hear some death metal growls and some female clear vocals (in the track 'Scars Of All'). To make this album more scary, it was machined on computer, so you can hear it's trace. I always say, that what is made on computer, this is not music, but in this situation, it is so awesome, that I will sin, if I say that it shouldn't be machined on computer.

When I listened to this album at first time, I thought that it was a soundtrack album for a horror movie. Now I wonder, why not? If someone uses this songs in his horror movie, this movie will have an award.

Normally, when I like album, I suggest everyone to listen to it, but in this situation, I don't suggest trying this album to people with weak nerves, they only will not survive!

This experimental black/death metal album by VIXIVI is a landscape of atmospheric auras, strangeness, and brutality. Dare I say it… “Christian underground experimental atmospheric black metal”? Not too much makes it distinctively Christian, aside from being written and performed by one. I suppose the lyrics might reflect some Christian ideas, if I could understand what little there are. Just listen to it, unprejudiced by the negative musical connotations of “Christian” that many metalheads have.

Vixivisch Igmazest: Static/radio tuning noise with a horror movie voice (sounds a bit like "The Grudge" plus something of a black metal screech) that clearly says “Welcome”. Good introduction for a diverse album.

Spirits: Fast drumming and blastbeats, seems that the bass and drums are both electronically done. Slow piano-sounding keyboard backs this fast-blasting song. The blasts give way to keyboard flutes and a very slow drumbeat with whispered vocals “See about (above?) the other side”. After this, the blasting returns with guitar harmonies and then echoey black metal vocals with death metal growls on top.

In Memorian: Keyboards start off this track, backed by an off-beat electronic drumbeat. Thought-provoking, not necessarily haunting. The rhythm recalls those amazing, yet stubborn Death songs that are hard to headbang with.

Scars Of All: Good, mid-tempo black metal, also starts off with keyboard (strings sound) chords and black metal. Soprano background vocals are fronted by thick, mid range black metal growl/screech. Suddenly, the song grinds to a halt and harpsichord (keyboard) plays a slow, simple classical melody while people chant. After a little while the song goes back to its black metal beginnings and finishes off combined with the chanting.

Winds: It’s that one static/echo horror movie noise. That’s it for this track…disappointing, but this IS experimental after all.

Your Eyes: Thin, distorted production on the guitars that start off this track, very much in the black metal vein, as well as the mid-range BM growls. The song also features very high-pitched male (sounds female in some parts) vocals chorusing, as well as gravelly whisperings “Open….your eyes…”

My Dear: Breathy, deep keyboard, combined with a higher chorus keyboard, starts off this song. This gives way to a mid paced melody on the high keyboard, with the deeper one playing a typical root bass line. Guitar takes the rhythm and the drums hold with slow double bass drumbeat and some changes here and there. “My dear so foreign, my dear so sweet. My dear so foreign, to my eyes.”

For The Sun Shall Fall: This track is not available for download online for some unknown reason.

Scream: Feedback, stopping and starting at irregular intervals and volumes. Artistic? Possibly… but not very much fun to listen to.

Child: What an awesome start! It made me chuckle as the song started with a cymbal striking and toms, and the last second before the fast drumming a whisper says “Jesus loves you.” The vocals on this song are clean and layered at the beginning, then the keyboards start in and there is a combination of BM vocals, and clean vocals of several types. Alternating between parts where the keyboards and cleans are the focus and more atmospheric/melodic BM types with rhythmic and distorted guitar.

Igmazestich Ivixiv: Closely related to the first track. Static, creepy voices, echo-y coughing? The track ends with a crescendo of voices, reversed and regular, thickly layered with echoing and distortion.

Overall, this album is a good listen, and a fine effort by VIXIVI, however it is so short that one hardly gets a chance to ‘taste’ it. It is available LEGALLY on their homepage for download, and that is the only way it has been released, aside from a couple rumored hard copies.

Recommended Tracks: Child, Scars Of All, Spirits, Your Eyes