WITHER
'Necropolis'
(Aurora Australis Records)
Bold statements and hyperbole be damned and everything, but thanks to bands like Wither and albums like 'Necropolis' the underground metal scene has been able to remain strong and thriving for decades even to the most jaded listener. With the band's allergy to publicity and the limited run of 500, this may very well be one of the contenders for the year's "Flying under the radar" award, so keep your eyes peeled and give 'Necropolis' a try. Chances are you'd be both surprised and impressed by Wither's debut album. The band can not be simply put under the mere DSBM umbrella anymore, for this melancholic beast has taken its metamorphose into more unique form and sound. The guiding hand of early Katatonia is easily recognizable, which in itself is great news to all morose souls, but there's also various other subtleties lurking around in these tunes as well, none of them being of the happy variety: goth-rock minimalism and weirdness, ambient isolation and a black metal drone have surely helped making this the perfect soundtrack for the chilly and dimly light November nights we're experiencing already in the Northern hemisphere. That the band is Australian hardly makes a difference - let them keep their surfing and sunny beaches - we are all here to share the inevitable decay and decline, the circle always comes to completion and the new bud is already growing up deep into the Earth's dark womb... [8,5]
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