In their own words, “there’s nothing but ice and darkness” to the far northern border of Norway where noise breeders Attan was bred, but equally going by the band’s debut EP there is also plenty of frustration, rage, and creative turbulence nurtured by the landscape. From Nothing is a five track onslaught of blackened hardcore with a voracious metal bred antagonism to it. To that doom seeded breaths are conjured and inflamed emotions vented; the result a release which potently hits and impresses initially but just gets fiercer and more compelling in its persuasion from thereon in.
Oslo based, the quintet draw on inspirations and flavours found in the likes of Converge, Emperor, Neurosis, Will Haven, and VOD; influences as their Shelsmusic released EP shows, open in the band’s sound but twisted into something if not yet explosively unique, certainly invigoratingly fresh and riveting.
Recorded and mixed in a barn in Lunner, a village in the municipality in Oppland county, From Nothing quickly abrases ears and ignites attention with opener Nocebo (I Shall Harm). It is a stonking bruising of a track from its first second to last, straight away offloading beats and riffs that batter and rub the senses respectively. A bass and thick sonic confrontation joins in soon after as early rhythms become broader and rasping vocals erupt to enticing effect. Straight away you can easily imagine essences which have inspired the band but as the punk fury lays richer abuse and volatility on ears, the venomous contagion springs its own character in the Attan sound. Like Shevils meets Converge, catchy toxicity colludes with undiluted ire and hostility, the track continuing to grow and surprise against the maelstrom of vocals which mix piercing squalls with the new additive of dark grizzly tones.
It is a great start to the encounter matched in success by the even more irritable and punishing Lost Words Of The Mothkeepers. The again double sided assault of vocals is a swift tempting within the searing intrusion of sound, rhythms barbarous as a sonic tempest niggles and intrudes with its searing tone and invasive touch. The unbridled onslaught ‘calms’ as the song progresses, though not in spite as a doom blossomed oppression of noise smothers the senses. Still there is virulence to the proposal though; an element which easily captivates from within the perpetual turbulence.
Full Circle/Full Stop comes next, its initial approach a ‘mild mannered’ sonic trespass with emotive hues and prowling rhythms. The whole nature and gait of the track is a stalking of ears and emotions with repetitious lures and a hypnotic shuffle cast by the drums. Midway it too explodes into a provocation of punishing dynamics and tortured vocals but simultaneously brewing up another torrent of infectious bait to align with the physical raging.
Such the sheer force and rabidity on offer in all tracks, there is a surface familiarity at times which you sense some will not get beyond, but as Black Liquid Marrow reveals, below that skin Attan spin a web of intrigue and creative hostility which seems to unveil a new twist and depth with each listen. The fourth track is more openly unique than the first trio, so that extra attention is less needed but willingly given such the drama and tenacious enterprise within the doomy oppression of sound and emotion.
As all songs, it is an increasingly magnetic and persuasive protagonist, but as others shaded a touch by the closer Edward. Admittedly, the track took longer to spark the same height of reactions as its predecessors, but over time, providing new tempting and aspects each listen, it seduced with its sonic nagging and rhythmic dynamics. Alongside them the excellent mix of vocals continues to please as sour melodies wrap around the doom coated spine of the song, though it is the almost post metal invasion of the imagination and bordering on emotionally cancerous heart of the incitement which seals the deal between band and pleasure.
Attan are going to be too intensive and merciless for some it is easy to suspect, especially those unprepared to explore their sound and the EP’s layers, but for others, From Nothing will be an introduction to get a touch excited over; we can vouch for that.
The From Nothing EP is released November 30th digitally via Shelsmusic @ http://shelsmusic.bandcamp.com/album/from-nothing and on Limited Edition Vinyl (300) @ http://www.shelsmusic.com/label/store.php
https://www.facebook.com/Attanband
Pete RingMaster 30/11/2015
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