Antiversum, a five piece band from Switzerland, returns with their sophomore full-length ‘De Nemesis Omnes et Omnia’, and what a great return it is! Where their debut Cosmos Comendenti also is a great piece, this record sounds a lot more powerful, more dense, more a sense of dread.
After a short intro, Antiversum drags the listener into a terror wave of darkness. Unearthly faraway growls accompanied by a haunting melody. Percussion that hits with force, while retaining a clear sound. The guitars keep the tension high, dissonant at times but always adding to the entire atmosphere of the music. The bass guitar adds little hints here and there and that makes the music even more interesting. This is not just a collection of tracks, it is carefully crafted. After listening to the album a couple of times I was really dragged down into their interpretation of darkness. I am taken away!
The production deserves a shout out on its own. It’s dense and dark, it really suits the music well. There is a lot of power in the music, a hint of insanity and anguish. Ik keeps on building the tension but never loses interest. Instead, it accentuates the atmosphere: every note played feels like breaking free through the cracks in the earth, every vocal spew out like a long lost entity, breathing darkness and anguish. This forces the listener to surrender to the current rather than dissect riffs or hooks.
What sets ‘De Nemesis Omnes et Omnia’ apart from many of their cavernous peers is the telling of a story through the music. Not just being heavy and dissonant for the sake of it, but using the crafted noise with intent. The use of slower passages throughout the tracks adds to the feeling of breathing darkness. At one moment they storm through everything and leave nothing alive, the next moment you are being dragged to the abyss and been given a little rest, after which the torture continues. These passages provide the necessary contrast, heightening the tension which can be felt on the entire album. This is heavy, not just in musical terms, but mentally as well.
This is not an album for the faint of heart or those seeking instant gratification. Its rewards come with patience and immersion. The lack of traditional song structures may feel strange to some folks, but to others, that desperate feeling is the point. Antiversum is not here to entertain mediocrity, they are here to drag you down into the depths of the earth. To swallow you whole.
Verdict:
‘De Nemesis Omnes et Omnia’ is a shining diamond in the cavernous scene. The production suits the music very well, everything sits right in the mix and adds to the tension the band wants to bring over. It is great to hear a band sound organic but at the same time delivers crushing tones.
Productionwise it reminds me of ‘Verberis – Adumbration of the veiled logos’, but a bit heavier in tonation.
9/10
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