0 X í S T - Nil - 7 Track Album - Ostra Records & Cold Void Emanations - Released October 2012

0 X í S T

Nil

7 Track Album

Ostra Records & Cold Void Emanations

Released October 2012

 0 X í S T – Riihimäki, Finland

Written for www.Brutalism.com

Links:

http://www.myspace.com/oxist

Genre: Dark/Doom/Metal

0 X í S T (Which translates as Zero Exist) came into being in 2008 and hail from Finland home of the dark and heavy genre and this album is very typically Finnish being very well produced and very professional in delivery.

In the band’s own words:

“0 X í S T's first CDEP "Unveiling the Shadow World" was released in April 2010 on Ostra Records (A French Record Label) and it includes the following tracks: Gazing Into the Void, Kingdom of Slumber, One over Infinity & Unveil the Shadow World. Right after the EP release, 0 X í S T played their first live shows in southern Finland and Estonia.

In August and September 2010 the band recorded a demo with two new tracks: Old World Vanished & …of Wood, Stone and Bone. A limited demo-CDr edition (100 copies) has now been released to prepare 0 X í S T’s first full-length album release, which the band aims to record in early 2011”

On hitting the play button I had not got a clue what was about to emerge from the speakers but was pleasantly surprised especially on the track “Nil” it starts off with a vibrant guitar riff and some powerful drumming which is highly melodic and then it turns into an ominous, creepy track, its brooding qualities are definitely dark and ambient and hold intrigue, despite turning slow and dark – so no wind-milling to be had here but it still holds the attention of the listener with its scathing guttural vocals and distorted guitar. The spoken vocal on this track is superbly executed.

The tracks all hold a certain sinister foreboding about them and as they begin you get this cold sharp feeling down your spine, which I find highly unnerving but in the best possible way.  The vocals cut through you like an icy chill but yet the slow plodding of drums warms you up again – it is a highly provocative mix with disturbing overtones.

“Arrival” possesses a low heart beat and scathing demonic vocals that indeed sends a chill down the spine with its eerie haunting piano and sparse plodding drum beats – it’s unsettling journey continues and I would definitely suggest you do not listen to this in the dark or when you are on your own but at least the track is only 1 minute and 48 seconds so not too long to get scared out of your wits.

“Shrivel” is a vibrant track with shrill guitar and a nice demonic whispering vocal that again sends a cold chill through the bones in the most unsettling manner.  The build-up is extremely superb – and offers a bitter underlying quality that cannot be ignored.

The creepy track - Shrivel

To sum up:

This album reminds me of a haunted house and inside the people are all possessed by an evil demonic force – compelled to live in this hell house of spookiness for eternity. The goose-bumps this album gives you are unbelievable. But what I love the most is the guttural secretions from scathing to downright disconcerting so not a bad listen at all, and not your usual doomy dark atmospheric band – this is powerful stuff and even possesses ritual chants as well as being scary offers a nice chill out zone too! Welcome to the dark side and bring some candles.

Well worth checking out if you like something dark and creepy – count me in!

4½/5

Track List:

Old World Vanished

Nil

Cold Dark Matter

Arrival

Anemone Patens

Of wood, stone and bone

Shrivel

 0 X í S T - who is the forth member?

Members:

Jani Koskela - Guitar & Vocals

Sameli Köykkä - Bass guitar
Mikael Ahlsten - Drums

Footnote: I have tried to find out if the band have three or four members and to no avail - the photograph above may be old or not so old, but I cannot find out if there is a forth member or not hence why only three names are listed here.