Here’s an interesting release from the label behind the recent and solid Ov Hollowness CD, Hypnotic Dirge Records, so you can expect something…well… hypnotic and dirge-y. And in the case of Ekove Efrits, it’s a one man black metal act from Iran, helmed by Count De Efrit.

I use the term black metal very loosely here, as with many one man acts treads the thin line between atmospherics, drone and doom, even if clad in a depressive,  experimental black metal shroud. And it’s the experimentation on this record that holds it back a bit.

On a base level, when kicking out fuzzed out morose, string back moments of blackened despondency, Ekove Efrits’ Conceptual Horizon is rather effective, with a tangible sense of sadness and depression, even with the drone-y, but effective clean vocals mixed into the pained rasps. The first track “Unmeaning Circle” is a good example, and is especially good at evoking some truly sad tempos. But more often than not, the Count’s sense of ambition outdoes his skill and songwriting capabilities, resulting in a few messy tracks amid some relatively impressive moments of melancholy.

After the first two tracks (second track “Faceless Moments” using a child’s narrative particularly effectively), “All That We Lost” seems a a bit busy and muddled with too many layers that don’t jive and the programmed, experimental nature of the release starts to negate the organic, depressive  style of the music.

The balance between solid, morose atmospherics (the aforementioned tracks as well as “Eternal Wounds” and “We Can Fly Once More”)  and muddled experimentation (“I Just Wish…”, “Hills of Ashes”, “Floating Energies From Nature”) is about half and half with a  few of the tracks mixing it within the tracks themself  (i.e. “A Celebration for Sorrow”). And what’s interesting is that Count De Efrit doesn’t force any Middle Eastern gimmicks to try and bolster the ambiance.

The end result is certainly an interesting; a niche album that fits the young label’s mold, but is probably my least favorite of the last three albums they’ve released this year (Ov Hollowness and Funeral Fornication being the other two).

[Visit the band's website]

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