Full Length Review: 1/2 Southern North "Narrations Of A Fallen Soul" (Satanath Records) by Corban Skipwith

Band: 1/2 Southern North

Location: Kalamata

Country: Greece

Genre: Experimental black/doom metal

Full Length: Narrations Of A Fallen Soul

Format: Digital

Label: Satanath Records (USA)

Release date: April 8, 2022

Whose ready for another album review? In fact whose ready for another release by ‘Satanath Records?’ One of the most versatile and consistent labels I’ve seen via Bandcamp with I’m sure many reviews under my belt attributed to them.

This new release features 7 songs that definitely stand out from the rest and I feel will even stand on its own separate from the rest of the pack for years still because of just how ‘Avant-Garde’ the music is on this one. What we have here essentially is an eerie and cerebral mix of songs that sound more impactful then the next with each song to follow landing a harder emotional kick to the gut then the one before it, quite the interesting experience.

The instrumentation on this thing ranges from ‘Skeletal’ to ‘Ambient’, ‘Doom’ to ‘Post-Rock’, ‘Acoustic’ to ‘Classical’ and just everything in between it really is a wildfire of various sounds and sonic expressions that would have any music fan (not just Metal) curious for more.

When listening to this record one thing stands out more than the rest and that’s the singing because the woman in charge of the vocals gives one of the most scary, devastatingly strong performances I’ve never in some time, really since ‘Lingua Ignota’ have I heard such a raw and deeply personal style of singing that just can’t be shaken off! This woman sets the tone for the album and alongside such creative and introspective production it makes for a memorable listen overall.

If I was you, I wouldn’t want to miss this record. It’s packed with so many unique styles that it’s bound to stay in your memory and have you left Godsmacked for days on end! –Corban Skipwith

Lineup:

IDVex: Compositions, guitars, bass, theremin, synthesizer, chelys lyre, vocals, lyrics

Guest musicians:

Philippos Lyrintzis: Drums (tracks 1, 3, 4, 5, and 6)

George Kastanos: Saxophone (track 6)

Efraimia Giannakopoulou: Violin (track 5)

Dimitris Soureas: Davul (track 2)

Stavros Panagiotopoulos: Kaval (track 2)

Malena Pereske: Dahare (track 2)

Polytimi Noea: Ancient Greek lyrics (track 2)

Track list:

1. Alpha Sophia

2. Hearts of Hades

3. Breastfeed Your Delightful Sorrow

4. Elegy of Hecate

5. Narrations of a Fallen Soul

6. Remnants of Time

7. Song to Hall Up High (Bathory cover)