Review: Sun of the Blind - “Skullreader” (2009)
If Esoteric and Blut Aus Nord somehow combined themselves into a single entity, Sun of the Blind would probably be the result. Skullreader is full of swirling, psychedelic riffs that sound like they were ripped straight from one of Esoteric’s earlier albums and it also has the robotic drumming, undulating guitar riffing and the snarling vocals buried low in the mix that you’ll find on Blut Aus Nord’s newer, more abstract work. Being a huge fan of both those projects you’d think that I’d be absolutely crazy about this album, and while there are some definite flashes of brilliance, there are also some things I felt kept it from being the album it could have been.
In case you weren’t aware, Sun of the Blind is a solo project of Darkpace guitarist Zhaaral. Zhaaral’s mastery of atmospherics shouldn’t be news to anyone familiar with his main band, and it also shouldn’t be a surprise that Sun of the Blind relies heavily on his skills with manipulating sound. The combination of the effects-laden guitars, hypnotic riffing and the many ambient sounds gives the album a feel that is at times majestic and peaceful, and elsewhere desolate and alien. Vocals are used only sparingly, so the music and ambience really drives the album, and does so very effectively.
Most of the songs on Skullreader stick to a fairly slow pace. ‘Cursed Universe’ and ‘Lord of Mind’ start softly and gradually build in intensity, while ‘Fire and Thirst’ and the lengthy closer ‘Vanitas’ are full of hypnotic arpeggiated riffs obscured behind shimmering guitar and keyboard ambience. ‘Ornaments’, the softest and most beautiful track on the album, is definitely a highlight.
The major shortcoming of Skullreader to me is that it doesn’t contain a great deal of variation. Aside from one wicked riff in the opener ‘Cursed Universe,’ the album rarely gets overly dark or aggressive. And while it may have been Zhaaral’s decision to keep this project on the more ambient side of things, I think there is definitely room for Sun of the Blind to get a little more creative with dynamics and tempo. Even with this criticism though, Skullreader stands among the better albums of this year, and it definitely leaves me drooling in anticipation of the next release.
