(Jester Records) Total Time: 48:53
I was recently having a discussion with a friend, where it was argued that rock (and its derivatives like metal) is dying a well deserved death. The argument went as follows: Most (edge of mainstream) rock musicians are following the tried and proved clichés of older bands; Thus, older fans are disenchanted (after all, they've heard this before) and the style/ideals etc promoted are not necessarily applicable to the new millennium (power metallers please forgive me – I do listen to bits of power metal myself). Thus, the genre mostly appeals to younger individuals, who grow out of it soon. The genre stagnates...
And then we get bands like VIRUS... I am starting to be of the opinion that whatever Jester Records releases, I should just invest in blindly – I haven't been disappointed by any release yet. VIRUS rose from the ashes of black metal experimentalists VED BUENS ENDE (RIP). As far as I'm aware, only Carl-Michael Eide (as Czral) remains in VIRUS, but they're using pseudonyms, so how could I be sure? For all I know, they may have simply changed their name.
I'm going to try describing the music now, a task which is not at all easy, so bear with me. In what must certainly have been one of the best releases in 2003, VIRUS manage to play what can be described as post-modernist rock. But is it rock? Is it Jazz? Is it black metal? Drawing comparisons with VOIVOD and progressive metal of the amazing PSYCHOTIC WALTZ (circa “Bleeding”), “Carheart” is a collection of songs (with titles such as “Be Elevator” and “Queen of the Hi-ace”) that surprises and attacks the listener from all directions. Groovy basslines and drums (very skillfully played indeed) with hints of Jazz as well as Stoner Rock influences, haunting vocals similar to ARCTURUS, circa “La Masquerade Infernale”, relentless guitar attacks (sometimes reminding me of SATYRICON, although not as black metal), atmospheric synthesizers, song structures (or the lack of) that are reminiscent of the weirdness of GODSPEED! YOU! BLACK EMPEROR! and samples (probably from movies) and few bits of electroindustrial elements complete the rather disturbing picture. An album that has a soul and is desperately and frantically trying to express it, “Carheart” is brilliant, amazing and original.
If you like some experimentation in your life, if you've enjoyed bands such as SOLEFALD, ARCTURUS, ULVER, GODSPEED! YOU! BLACK EMPEROR!, DODHEIMSGARD, VED BUENS ENDE and KOROVA, and want something more weird in your life, you owe it to yourself to try VIRUS.
