Music: Melodic dark metal/death metal/doom
Country: Russia
Cool Songs: Let the Flame
, Non-Existent World, Condemnation
Web site: http://www.myspace.com/psilocybelarvaeofficial
Maybe the fact that PSILOCYBE LARVAE hails from Russia is the cause for this group taking so long to get its music over to America. Starting in 1996, the group has only released three albums. Non-Existence originally saw release in 2008, but Dark Harvest Records sent out the bands first American copies at the tail-end of 2009. Whatever the reason for their low output, the group is now here in front of us and its time to take notice!
Named after a verse from the TIAMAT song Whatever That Hurts, PSILOCYBE LARVAE plays an emotionally gripping form of dark metal sure to open the ears of MY DYING BRIDE, ANATHEMA and MOONSPELL listeners.
The MY DYING BRIDE comparison is most prevalent on Non-Existence. From the scowling vibe of the slowly crawling doom metal movements to chaotic tempo shifts to passionate keyboard swells, PSILOCYBE LARVAE is the closest, and possibly the best thing next to the wretched doom metal merchants from England. Front man, Vitaly seems to tap into the deep growls and ripping shrieks of MDBs Aaron Stainthorpe, but presents a mixture of Stainthorpe and ex-ANATHEMA singer Darren White during clean-tongued moments.
As great as they are, MY DYING BRIDEs passionate form of extreme music rarely results in copy cats, so even if PSILOCYBE LARVAE were a complete imitation, which they arent, this lack of originally would easily be overlooked. It would be easier to accept than the thousands of clones in the realm of death, black, thrash and other more popular styles of metal. PSILOCYBE LARVE differentiates itself by often playing at a fiercer tempo than MY DYING BRIDE and attaching a touch of black metal to its doom-metal setting.
Non-Existence is the best dark melodic metal album you have never heard! These Russians present an excellent take on the iconic figures of this sub-genre of metal. If you strongly relate to the early-to-mid 90s atmospheric metal lineup found in Peaceville and Century Media catalogues (MOONSPELL, OPETH, TIAMAT, MY DYING BRIDE, ANATHEMA, etc), do yourself a favor and check out PSILOCYBE LARVAEs Non-Existence.
note: 8.5/10
Tracklist
1. Castaway
2. Sleepwalkers
3. Let the Flame…
4. Cold Desert of Eternity
5. Non-Existent World
6. Great Silence
7. Asylum
8. Threshold
9. Condemnation
Total playing time 48:59
Line-up
Vitaly – guitar, voices
Andrey – guitars
Alan – drums
Alex – bass
Dmitry – keyboards
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