Darkspace – Darkspace iii i

There are two ways of looking at the unknown: you either get excited by the prospect of new discoveries, worlds and ideas, or you look into the creeping nameless darkness and fear what comes with it.

While most black metal bands prefer the coldness of winter, the solitude of an isolated forest, Darkspace look to strip the listener of all hope by thrusting them into the cosmic loneliness of space, where there is no sound to be heard beyond the maddening echoes of infinity, where the further you go the more desperate you become.

In “III I” Darkspace once again look to the farthest reaches of space for their new instalment of celestial black metal. The album opens with an electronic beat that slowly fades away into the grim cacophony of drum machines, obscure guitars shattering through the void and cold frightening screams from the three members of the band.

This sonic assault on the senses continues throughout the record, but Darkspace are always looking to expand their sound beyond what we can imagine. Behind the drone-like murmur of their guitars, there are glimmers of groove in the Helvetians’ sound that are quickly snuffed out by the impeding explosion of their supernova wall of sound.

“III I” is not an easy album, it requires patience, an ability to withstand discomfort and the will to return for a second, third and fourth listening.  It is at the same time its greatest flaw and quality. Many will listen to it once and discard it completely because of its aggressive nature, while others will power through the uneasiness of the first minutes to discover the terrifying beauty that is Darkspace’s latest record.

Score: 9 out of 10