PSILOCYBE LARVAE – Non-Existence

Lunging into darkness and into Non-Existence, Psilocybe Larvae explores the unseen and maybe the unthinkable. Dark Harvest Records presents one of its latest captures specializing in Ambient Extreme Metal. Whether it’s Death, Gothic and even modern Black Metal, the crew from Russia will provide the theater.

Over the years, Psilocybe Larvae suffered from inconsistencies concerning their line-up. Through all those line-up replacements, the only member that remained was the band’s songwriter and vocalist, Vitaly. Throughout its career of almost fourteen years, the band released three studio albums. Its latest record from 2009, Non-Existence, is their prime powerhouse to date.

Leading the way with a special kind of Dark and Ambient Metal, the new album produced an impression of bands as early Paradise Lost, mid-era Rotting Christ, Tiamat and a heavier and extreme version of Pink Floyd. Psilocybe Larvae explores different mixes in Metal music. With dark surroundings as their guide, the creator wrote unexpected and progressed rhythms that may confine Metal heads of various sub-genres. The album walks around through heavy to soft riffages, icy cold keyboards, diverse vocals of both darkened clean chorals to semi-brute, yet, well delivered growls.

The Non-Existence album, as others like it, established a kind of Extreme that is rather fun to listen to. It’s not too brutal, yet it’s not too soft. The darkness that engulfs it is something of mere enchantment and with its semi-melodies; it’s something worthy to come back for another spin. The themes presented are not that understandable and leave behind questions of what went on or what will happen afterwards. Even if Non-Existence is not the masterful album of this kind of music, it can be regarded as a gem in the Metal arsenal.

The album was originally released in January of 2008 through a different small label. Dark Harvest Records did well to notice this band and signed them up. In 2009, Non-Existence was released through the American label. The album displays a huge potential and skilled band that with hope, will stay with an intact line-up at least after the fourth release.

Highlights filled with obscurity and murkiness: “Condemnation” (The best one this band can offer, great melodies, vocals and amazing aura), “Non-Existent World”, “Asylum” (such great diversity), “Sleepwalkers”, “Cold Desert Of Eternity” (so cold you can freeze), “Great Silence”.