Almost a year ago when Decibel premiered All is of No Avail—the debut EP from Belarusian black metal duo Khandra—writer and mosh pit associate J. Andrew Zalucky wrote the following about the new project:
“[Khandra] has been quiet on personal details, but loud on creating quality, memorable black metal. Yes, they create a lot of atmosphere on “Where death has settled in life,” but they still mold the guitar parts in a way where you can still hear what the hell is going on. And as this is not a fresh, new style by any stretch, it’s heartening to hear a new band capable of making an example of it that’s worth listening to – getting stuck in your head and then playing again and again.”
Armed with a new EP (There is No Division Outside Existence), Khandra’s sound now incorporates even more melody without pulling the reins on their blackened blasts. After the foreboding hum and hiss of instrumental mood-setter “Into the absolute nothingness,” Khandra introduce an affective hellscape of mechanical rhythms and resounding funeral bells. In the 22 minutes that follow, Khandra’s crisp songwriting uses polished black metal as the foundation of their emotive approach. There’s the solemn throttle of “Decaying into the ascended,” which is a solid reminder that Khandra’s name translates to “blues” (as in “melancholy”) in Russian. There’s the relentless hook at 2:30 in the show-stealing title track. Then the uncharacteristic bounce and shimmer of “Progressing into desolation,” where the notes ascend triumphantly before returning back to their familiar home in the darkness. Khandra’s new EP is enticingly dynamic and full-bodied, which makes it sound like I’m describing a brew at Decibel Metal & Beer Fest, and not a black metal release.
When asked about the themes of the EP, Khandra shared the following:
“The concept of the project is the flaw and inability of consciousness to reflect the boundlessness of the nothingness in the frames of reality that (reality) only exists within and in the sanity. It is a sort of an attempt of exceeding the limits of imagination, which makes the lyrics unavailable for criticism from the point of view of logical thinking. The musical vessel here is a result of expression that has no bonds with any personal emotion of social nature.”
Below, listen to Khandra’s There is No Division Outside Existence before it releases from Redefining Darkness Records (US) and Possession Productions (Europe) on October 12th. Press play and challenge your own reality for the next 25 minutes.
Pre-order Khandra’s There is No Division Outside Existence from Redefining Darkness Records HERE
European comrades can order it from Possession Productions HERE
Don’t forget to follow Khandra on Facebook for news on upcoming releases HERE
