Cobalt - Gin

this is the best album i've heard in 2009. the duo of Phil McSorley and Erik Wunder have completely flattened the rest of their peers within the USBM scene... where Nachtmystium and WITTR have delved more into the psychedelic nuances of black metal, Cobalt instead push forward with finding ways of communicating pure evil and hatred, which in my opinion is what quality black metal should achieve. McSorley's life as an infantryman in the Army, as well as his years spent in Baghdad, provide another enthralling and unexpected facet to Cobalt's music. what you hear sounds like it's coming from a frostbitten mountaintop, not from a desert battlefield, but it's interesting to me how his experience inspired such a thought-provoking performance. Wunder's drumming talent is remarkable, at times reminding me very much of Danny Carey (thanks to heavy use of polyrhythms). the way these songs flow over you, with such immense layers of depth... that they're coming from a mere duo is a testament to the production on this record. the guitar tone alone feels like an ocean of sulfuric acid crashing on top of you. simply put, if black metal was a museum, Cobalt's Gin belongs in the premier gallery, amidst the classics of the genre.

part1
part2