With a single blast of the drum, Fluisteraars‘ new album Jacht der Mysteriën explodes in an orgasm of noise, attacking your very senses from the start in a maelstrom of thrashing guitars and ominous synths. Curdled screams invite you to the congregation and we are off. Where to may be unknown, but the thrill of the adventure beckons.
Such is the cinematic quality of the music, with widescreen guitars punctuated by the odd heartbeat of a drum, you feel rather than understand the music. Synths drift in almost as if lost on the way to the next Hawkwind album yet sound perfectly placed. It’s tempestuous, yet calming, and this is just the first track.
Things get much more primal with ‘Condities der Afstraffing’ and it’s almost as if Darkthrone have turned space rock. Sifting that cold Norwegian sound through a 70’s psychedelic filter, creating Fluisteraars, a band like no other. There’s a distinct alien quality to them which makes them almost unreachable as musicians. Meanwhile the music makes you unreachable as it thrusts you into regions unknown. It’s a wild trip which at the halfway point suddenly turns into some majestic flight of triumphant glorious noise. Music made for playing loud over a decent set of headphones.
By embodying that triumphant despair with psychedelic qualities, Fluisteraars are unlike any of their peers, and whilst their music may be ultimately unapproachable to the casual listener, for those attuned to the darker side and black metal in particular will find a lot to embrace within the frozen blasts. By the time it hits the final third track it almost feels like a race to the finish moment, heart pumping, running straight into the wall of noise. Punctuated by an ambient section before rising once more like dark phoenix from the flames, it’s as if the world is falling down around you. It’s sublime, stunning, and unnerving in equal measures.
There may be better albums released this year (although honestly, they’ll have their work cut out) but few will reach such dizzying heights of fearful bliss as this. This is an album to be savoured alone, probably with the lights out, and played very loud to feel its true impact. If you feel changed after listening to it don’t worry, that was probably the plan all along.
