Lyrinx / Elysian Blaze / D.O.R. - Universal Absence

Here is a three way split between three very similar bands. All playing a type of black metal that I've been hearing a lot more of lately. Its really thinly produced spacious and laden with reverb. The music is really mid-paced to slow and often quite dirgey. Almost like doom's aesthetic only on a higher intonation. Anyways Lyrinx kick it off with some really repetitive material that relies moreso on its tinny production that the music being played. Its decent at times, but more forgettable than anything. Elysian Blaze offer us a glimpse into what may perhaps be somewhat of a new direction for them, furthering what they displayed with prowess on their "Levitating the Carnal" opus. The track "Black Hole Euphoria" takes on a much more grueling and agonizing pace, drudging along like an night fog. The sound here reminds me a lot of newer Nortt only this tends to keep my attention a bit better. This song has such an ethereal and downtrodden pace to it, I really cant get enough to it. I cant imagine how awesome there forthcoming double LP is going to be. By the time D.O.R.'s material rolls around, i'd be surprised if anyone is in the mood to listen to them. Which is sort of a shame because they're not all that bad, but again, relying too heavily on the lack of production value here.

Weird Fate / Membaris - Conspiracy split CD

Its easy enough for me to say that this split is noteworthy because it is a lot better than bad black metal.  Though that wouldnt really be fair, its strength lies somewhere between that truth and the fact that some fairly remarkable German black metal can be found on this release.  Coming straight at you with a most vaguely unmenacing moniker, Weird Fate's music reminds me a lot of Lunar Aurora's "Weltenganger" in that the guitar work is intricately played but vastly written.  Some similarities could also be drawn to the mighty Nightbringer of the U.S.A.  Weird Fate's modus operandi runs the gamut anywhere from a somewhat dry "violent" nature to a more developed and mature atmospheric melodicism.  They do so rather fluently, but this band really shows their novice tendencies when they do the somewhat redundant violent stuff, which is where I tend to lose attention.  The production on this is top notch and I feel it does a great justice to the bands ability to harness the power of black metal and convey their emotion and atmospheric strength vividly.  Aside from a few rather long winded passages and the occasional non-metal meanderings (see: fruity piano parts, exhaustively synth laden dirges, frolicky acoustic interludes) This stuff is realy good. Weird Fate are great at playing their instruments and with any luck they will be a band to keep an ear on quite soon.  
Membaris have a somewhat similar demeanor as Weird Fate but have a way more speedy galloping tempo to their stuff.  Im finding their half of the split to be more on the forgettable side because I've heard heaps of bands playing in this fashion.  Its all decent but only as good as the rest of it.  The riffing is a lot less musical, the vocals are a barely even a noticeable element, and the drumming is predictable.  This sort of reminds me of Orcustus.