Black Table
Obelisk
(Silent Pendulum Records)
I don’t think anyone wants to spend any more time thinking about 2016 than we have to (not that 2017 is shaping up much better), but I, like so many others, have a habit of discovering great albums a year (or more) later. Often, that’s because a band’s music requires more time than a casual stream; the album is much more than the sum of its parts. That’s definitely the case for East Coast group Black Table who bring much more to the table than the initial black metal tag. They do sort of what Inter Arma does, though they do so in ways that are much darker. Black Table’s sound is decidedly post and prog influenced, and the sludge influence is notable, but, more than anything else, Obelisk is a fantastic selection of really tight compositional work. In part, they take the ideas of the post-black metal movement and incorporate huge swaths of other influences, but I don’t think about defining the record’s sound at all during its runtime.
In between cryptic, eerie intro and outo, Black Table showcase why the hype surrounding their debut EP Sentinel was worth it. Like Inter Arma, the music isn’t stereotypically proggy (Inter Arma maybe a tad moreso); instead, the record weaves in and out of styles with ease. The blast-beat fueled sections are grand, but they don’t define them. Likewise, the riffs come and go with little fanfare (though they occasionally stand out). Obelisk is a record that could fail under the weight of its own emotion. The record is clearly cathartic, discussing vocalist Mers Sumida’s depression through various mythologies, alternately grand and intimate. The music echoes that feeling, at times ready to start the hellfire, while bringing the “feels” or whatever.
The result is a fantastic album that isn’t always a joy to listen to. Yet, it’s very easy to appreciate. Black Table have forged their own path on their debut, and the path to future releases appears to be promising. They’re great now, but have the potential for further greatness.
