Sarpa – Mauta Tala

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SARPA is a Black/Death Metal band hailing from Austin, Texas, USA. This is their latest EP. From Bandcamp, there is a short bio, which reads “The illusory mirrors of time and space have fractured…The sublunary cease!!!” The EP has three long songs, and “Arcane Rites – Tohu wa Bohu” is the first. It’s a 12-minute beast, the opens with the gallops of horses in an apparent battle. The guitar and bass work are fairly intricate, but are a bit outweighed by heavy, aggressive drumming and guttural vocals. The sound grows increasingly chaotic but there is still a tight structure underneath. Rounding the half-way mark, they present some heavier, almost Industrial elements. Headed to the finish line, things get creepier and stranger.

“Necropoleis of the Nebulous Deserts” is much shorter…consisting of two minutes of odd background elements and what sounds like the march of boots. “It Looms” closes the album. The opening tones are tense and linear, unlike the first song. Heavy accents from the rhythm guitars and sterile vocals create a sense of urgency, as the title suggests. This is really unlike any other album I have heard in a while. As it moves along, a hypnotic feeling takes hold. Rounding the half-way mark, the tension loosens a bit and the shadow wanes, but the hairs on the back of your neck serve as a warning that you are not out of danger yet. The danger picks up once again with thick bass notes, as heavy fog settles in and clouds your vision and thoughts. The Death vocals grow more immense as you realize your life is about to end.

I love the suspension of disbelief on the album. David creates a real sense of fear, and dread. Combine this with the unique nature of the music, and you have an intriguing album to listen to. Although at its core, it is some sort of bastard child of Black and Death Metal, there is a lot more going on than what those labels can address. The album will challenge your conventions, and stimulate your mind and thought process. I don’t know from what rock he came out from under, but let’s hope he stays in the world of the living for a while.

Songwriting: 8
Musicianship: 8
Memorability: 9
Production: 7