Savaoth – Whispers Often Bleat

 Savaoth is one more band to have emerged from the quite vivid industrial Greek scene. “Whispers Often Bleat” is their debut album, released through “I for an I & Media” records. Dark and modern. That pretty much describes the album’s ambience.  “Black metal/ Experimental/ Industrial” : their self – definition is quite an accurate one. The whole concept is structured on a black metal fundament. The vocals aside, Whispers Often Bleat is a riff – oriented release. What is interesting though, is that, Savaoth, unlike most industrial/ something bands, have actually and totally equated the two main musical elements. The black metal riffing does not come in aid ( e.g. this applies for Psyclon Nine), it is one of the main and leading fabrics. In the end, Savaoth is a band who performing black metal through an industrial point of view, a band whose music is composed of equal proportions of black metal and industrial music. The “experimental” side is first and foremost spotted in the very (obscure) atmosphere of Whispers Often Bleat. Specifying this, symphonic elements are added, extracting a kind of Dimmu Borgir – esque feeling ( e.g. Martyrion, 1:12 and on). This Dimmu Borgir – like approach of compositions is spottable in many ways (an illustrative example is the epic The illiberal Oppressor, 4:00 ++ ) This genre has never been technical. However, Savaoth is way more technical than any industrial average band. Savaωth serves duties of both vocalist and guitarist. His vocals are either high – pinched/ shrieked, or more “aggressive” (e.g. XAOS ). His heavy guitar is more than enough (of course solos are absent), with his riffing mostly based on alternate picking. The bass lines (Angel) are distinct (although NOT constantly; there are times one has to put an effort to distinguish it.) The sound is smooth though. Plus, in parts as the one starting at 0:45 in The Illiberal Oppressor, the bass is pleasurable. The bass lines’ major drawback is that they’re completely subjugated to the guitar’s tune/ riff. On the drumming, TaloS serves the listener variety, from pure blast beating ( Till Stars Don’t Shine intro) to more groovy rhythmic patterns. The thing is though, his drumming is a bit “colorless”. The above mentioned blast beat is changeless, plus, the drum fills lack uniqueness. On the keyboards, Q_snc’s contribution is grand.  Overall, the keyboards ideas are complete and right to the point. It is one of the band’s key axis.Savaoth ’s lyrical concept deals with an existentialistic approach of religion. Whispers Often Bleat ‘s enriched vocabulary, plus the avoidance of any irritating and constant repetition of same words, comprise this poetic/ artistic view of a modern, moral decay. Nice.   Conclusively, Savaoth is a band of musical integrity. Having themselves balanced their influences, equalized their inspiration, form an entirety off of our era. They are modern, breed of a meta – industrial time.

8,5/10  Stelios (Ω)