RECLUSE – Demo (2013)

Genre: Raw Black Metal (or Hate, as they proclaim)

Label: Graceless Recordings

Rating: 9.5/10

Recluse was formed by Phil McSorley of Cobalt fame. McSorley is one angry, tough son-of-a-bitch; of course, there is no reason to doubt that given that, when I last read, he is a Drill Sergeant in the United States Army. When I saw Cobalt at their last show in Cambridge, Massachusetts, he had no problem grabbing me by my collar and screaming in my ear during their set (frankly, I was honoured). At any rate, this review is about Recluse, so on with it, shall we?

This band features the multi-instrumentalist McSorley on vocals, guitar, and drums, with Mike Meacham of Loss on bass. The production of this album is very raw; the vocals, snare, and cymbals clip the mic, the guitar is pretty much pure treble and mids, and the bass drum sounds very distant, though loud. The drums are very fitting: simplistic, fast for the most part. The bass is great, it's actually very interesting, standing on its own and relative to raw Black Metal. The vocals are outstandingly awesome and cold. The guitar is just as cold, but is really the highlight of the demo for me.

Track I, “Exsanguinary Purification,” is ultra-violent; it is murder in sonic form. The guitar is simple and tangibly evil. The chords chosen are reminiscent of old Horna. The bass is just as evil in this track. This soothes my own seething anger. Fuck anger management therapy – listen to Recluse. Towards the end is a tremolo-picked arpeggio; I'm not sure of the timing, as I'm listening on tape (the only format this is in; don't bother looking for it electronically, you fuckers, you won't find it) is a perfect closing riff, and is every bit as demonic as the rest of the song. Track II, “Erect Holy Strangulation,” is somehow even more malevolent than track I. The intro riff reminds me of Bathory's debut. It soon gets more complex than anything off of that release; however, it does return to that riff. Overall a very satisfying song. Track III closes it out, entitled “No Way Out.” It does leave a hopeless, cold, isolated feeling in your mind from the intro. Certainly more effective in that sense than 99.9% of so-called Suicidal Black Metal, the dumpster of the Black Metal scene. I, in fact, do not know how someone could make a song like this and not feel suicidal themselves. And then, it just ends. I'm not saying I know this song to be suicidal or depressive in nature, but that's the feeling it gives me.

If you neglected to pick up this release when it was available, shame on you. I love Cobalt, but I like Recluse way more. They have a LP coming out soon called Frozen Blood. Be on the look-out for it, especially if you missed getting this demo. You might try messaging Sgt. McSorley on their Facebook page, as he had a small number of cassettes left to purchase, but no guarantees. This is one of the best demos I've ever heard from a start-up band. I'm very thankful that Sgt. McSorley is willing to put this out there.

SUPPORT OR DIE!!