Somalgia/Inverted World/Repose Records/2021 Full Length Review

 

  Somalgia  are  a  duo  from  the  United  Kingdom  that  has  been  featured  before  in  this  zine  which  started  out  playing  more  of  an  atmospheric  style  of  black  metal  and  on  this  recording  plays  more  of  a  mixture  of progressive,  psychedelic  rock,  trip  hop  and  black  metal  and  this  is  a  review  of  their  2021  album  "Inverted  World"  which  will  be  released  in  December  by  Repose  Records.

 

 Synths  and  trip  hop  style  beats  start  off  the  album  witch  also  mixes  in with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  songs  at  times.  The  progressive  also  gets  very  progressive  sounding  while  the  solos  and  leads  are  also  done  in  a  very  melodic  style  along  with  some  clean  vocals  also  being  added  into  certain  sections  of  the  recording.

  All  of  the  musical  instruments  on  the  recording  also  have  a  very  powerful  sound  to  them  while  the  music  also  has  its  progressive  moments.  Black  metal  screams  can  also  be  heard on  a  couple  of  songs  along  with  some  melodies  also  being  added  into  some  of  the  guitar  riffing  as  well  as  a  couple  of  tracks  also  being  very  long  and  epic  in  length.

  A  couple  of  the  songs  also  introduces  acoustic  guitars  and  clean  playing  onto  the  recording  along  with  some  tracks  also  adding  in  elements  of  folk  music  as  well  as  the  album  also  being  less  influenced  by  black  metal  than  their  previous  recording,  when  the  music  finally  speeds  up  a  small  amount  of  blast  beats  can  be  heard.  A  later  track  also  adds  in  a  brief  use  of  spoken  word  samples  and  the  closing  song  also  adds  in  some  female  vocals.  The  production  sounds  very  professional  while  the  lyrics  are  a  concept  album  based  upon  a  mans  journey  which  takes  him  through  a  dystopian  reality  and  conspiracy  rabbit  holes.

  In  my  opinion  this  is  another  decent  sounding  from  Somalgia  and  if  you  are  fan  of  progressive,  psychedelic  rock,  trip  hop  and  black  metal,  you  should  check  out  this  album.  RECOMMENDED  TRACKS  INCLUDE  "God  Is  Dead"  "Consumer"  and  "Dear  Rulers".  7/5  out  of  10.

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Somalgia Interview

1.For those that have never heard of you before, can you tell us a little bit about the musical project?

I started Somalgia as a homage to 90's black metal.  It is a one man project and my influences include the classics such as Obtained Enslavement, Limbonic Art & Falkenbach to newer greats like Sühnopfer, Ungfell & Grift.


2.So far you have been a part of a split, how would you describe the musical style you went for on the recording?

For the split with Peasant both bands released one heavy track and one soft track each.  My heavy track, Veil Of Perceptual Illusion, was a Wolves In The Throne Room-esque song with a Hammond organ and Burzum style screeches throughout.  The lyrics were about being born into the current slave system we are all apart of and escaping from that.  A mix of 'The Matrix' & Plato's 'Allegory Of The Cave'.

The second song 'Wander Stars Moving Across A Celestial Sphere' was a layered synth track which was my homage to Burzum's 'Tomhet'.


3.What are some of the lyrical topics and subjects you have explored with the music so far?

Some of the topics I write about include secret societies, suppressed knowledge, dystopian / real world parallels, hidden human history, ancient / modern control systems, present day totalitarian / oligarchical regimes (the UK for example) and brainwashing of the collective consciousness...


4.What is the meaning and inspiration behind the name 'Somalgia'?

Somalgia is a nod to Aldous Huxley's 'Brave New World'.  The medication they take in that book to cope with life is called 'Soma', it keeps them numb to the world and blind to the truth.  'Algia' is derived from the Greek algos meaning "pain".  So using the prefix 'Soma' and the suffix 'algia' we get Somalgia.

To me, this is the sickness one would get when awakening from the conditioning we face in our current system.  It is a dystopian illness that one would get realizing most of what we believe to be truth is a lie.  When you realize the whole world is corrupt to its core, rotten and inverted you are left with feelings of emptiness, disconnection and alienation.  That is Somalgia.


5.Has the band done any live shows or is this strictly a studio project?

For now this is strictly a studio project while the first album is being finalized.  Possibly one day if I can find a drummer fast enough.


6.Other then the release being on bandcamp there is very little information to be found on the musical project online with no metal archives or facebook page, can you tell us a little bit more about it?

I will be releasing music through the Repose Records website only and will never have any social media.  I believe social media to be a scourge on humanity and a plague that should be eradicated.  I will not subject any followers of mine to visit facebook, twitter etc.  With each copy of future releases I will be including essays of selected authors on subjects close to my lyrical content - the first one being Dean Henderson's essay 'Electronic Feudalism Is Hive Mind Production'.


7.Recently you where a part of a split with 'Peasant', what are your thoughts on the other musical project that had participated on the recording?

I co-wrote both of the Peasant songs on this split with my good friend Plague.  Peasant is very high paced and erratic and I would say perfect for fans of Deathspell Omega & Ungfell.  Plague is a self taught guitarist from years of listening to Plebian Grandstand, Deathspell etc so the riffs he comes up with are very demented but always seem to sound so cohesive and harmonic.  Perfect for black metal in my opinion.  He brings the riffs and I lay a lead on top of it, so we're a good team.


8.The split was released on 'Repose Records' can you tell us a little bit more about this label?

Repose Records is my own label that currently has 3 releases to it's name.  I wanted to start a label that focused on black metal, dungeon synth and anything avant-garde and tenebrous that caught my ear.  The fourth release, due out later this year, will be the second album from a fantastic project hailing from Switzerland.  I won't say anymore at this point except on my first listen I described it as sounding like 'being sucked into a black hole and ending up in a mental asylum - chasmic black metal'.


9.On a worldwide level how has the reaction been to your music by fans of black metal?

The reception has been positive so far.  My goal for the rest of the year is continue to release more music so people can start to get a real picture of what Somalgia is about.


10.When can we expect a full length and also where do you see the band heading into musically during the future?

The next Somalgia release will be a full length entitled 'Inverted World'.  I already have the backbone of the album completed so hopefully sometimes next year it will be ready.  The artwork has been done by Gareth Mansfield and it will be mixed & mastered by Dan Abela.

Musically, I can see Somalgia following the current state of the world in it's death spiral and getting darker and darker as time goes on.


11.What are some of the bands or musical styles that have had an influence on your music and also what are you listening to nowadays?

I am a big fan of what the Helvetic Underground Comittee in Switzerland are doing.  Their roster contains some of the most pioneering black metal out there at the moment, Ungfell, Dakhma, DVT, Kvelgeyst etc.  Naas Alcameth is is doing great things with his projects Akhlys, Aoratos, Nightbringer & Bestia Arcana.  A few other notable bands i'm currently spinning on my record player are Peste Noire, Tomhet, Darkened Nocturn Slaughtercult, Darkspace, Paysage D'Hiver, ColdWorld, Lifelover, Sühnopfer, Falls Of Rauros & Obsequiae.  I post a weekly Spotify playlist through the Repose Records Instagram if anyone would like to see what else i'm listening to.


12.Does Paganism or Occultism play any role in your music?

No, I purposefully avoid religious references.  My goal with Somalgia isn't to attack Christianity or promote paganism.  My goal is to awaken and enlighten people to the current control system that has been in place for the last 6-8000 years.  This is why the essays I send with each release will be so important.


13.Before we wrap up this interview, do you have any final words or thoughts?

1.Resist 5G & the incoming smart system.
2.Abolish the Federal Reserve banking cartel.
3.Somalgia - Inverted World coming soon...
Thank you,
Orakul.

https://peasantbm.bandcamp.com/releases

Peasant/Somalgia/Within, Without/Repose Records/2019 Split EP Review

  This  is  a  review  of  a  split  ep  between  United  Kingdom's  Peasant  and  Somalgia  called  "Within,  Without"  which  was  released  by  Repose  Records  in  2019  and  we  will  start  off  the  review  with  Peasant  a  duo  that  plays  an  ominous,  pagan  and  occult  form  of  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  dark  yet  melodic  riffing  along  with  some  grim  black  metal  screams  being  introduced  into  the  music  a  few  seconds  later.  Demonic  voices  can  also  be  heard  briefly  while t he  faster  sections  of  the  music  also  brings  in a  good  amount  of  tremolo  picking  and  blast  beats  which  also  gives  the  songs  more  of  a  raw  feeling.

  Dark  sounding  melodies  can  also  be  heard  in  the  guitar  riffing  while  the  vocals  are  mostly  aggressive  sounding  black  metal  screams.  The  songs  also  add  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  and  when  guitar  solos  and  leads  are  utilized  they  are  done  in  a  very  melodic  style,  acoustic  guitars,  clean  pagan  vocals  and  folk  music  elements  are  also  added  onto  the  second  track.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  Paganism  and  Occultism  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Peasant  are  a  very  great  sounding  ominous,  pagan  and  occult  black  metal  duo  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genre,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Hounds  Of  The  Shining  One".

  Next  up  is  Somalgia  a  band  that  plays  an  atmospheric  form  of  black  metal.

  Their  side  of  the  split  starts  out  with  some  stringed  instruments  before  going  into  a  very  fast  and  melodic  musical  direction  which  also  uses  a  great  amount  of  blast  beats  and  tremolo  picking.  Keyboards  and  psychedelic  elements  also  mix  in  with  the  heavier  sections  of  the  music.

  Vocals  are  also  high  pitched  black  metal  screams  along  with  some  clean  playing  also  being  used  briefly.  The  music  also  brings  in  a  decent  mixture  of  slow,  mid  paced  and  fast  parts  as  well  as  some  melodic  chants  being  utilized  in  the  background  and  the  second  track  is  an  instrumental  in t he  dark  ambient  and  dungeon  synth  direction.  The  production  sounds  very  dark  and  raw  while  the  lyrics  cover  dark  and  metaphysical  themes.

  In  my  opinion  Somalgia  are  a  very  great  original  sounding  atmospheric  black  metal  band  and  if  you  are  a  fan  of  this  musical  genres,  you  should  check  out  their  side  of  the  split.  RECOMMENDED  TRACK  "Veil  of  Perceptual  Illusion".

  In  my  opinion  this  is  a  very  great  sounding  split  and  I  would  recommend  it  to  all  fans  of  black,  pagan  metal  and  dungeon  synth.  8 /5  out  of  10.

https://peasantbm.bandcamp.com/releases