Artist: Efraah Enhsikaah
Country: United Kingdom
Label: Osmose Productions
Formats: LP / CD
Year: 2023
Seemingly like a bolt from the blue came this new Black Metal act from the UK, the anonymous musician behind it goes under the same pseudonym as the band and that is about as far the information goes. Yet, judging from the rather professionally executed music on offer and the fact that without demoing or any other specific run-up to this debut full-length it struck a deal with Osmose Productions. My guess is that Efraah Enhsikaah is not quite a rookie in the business of (Black) Metal…
For a brief moment though I thought I had figured out (a part of) the puzzle when I picked up some familiar vocal shrieks, but it turned out that Meyhna’ch of Mütiilation fame contributed some guest vocals, including on the opening track. So, there is still the music to judge, let’s focus on that.
In just over 40 minutes the seemingly experienced musician serves us with some mid- to fast paced atmospheric Black Metal that should reflect a freezing cold ambiance. To be honest, Efraah Enhsikaah only partly succeed in doing so. While the music is by no means bad, it never seems to get any wings nor is able to move elevate itself above mediocrity. There is not a single or specific reason to be identified as to why the album doesn’t seem to get off the ground. The riffs lack any memorability or catchy hooks, the vocals are rather weak and sound forced. Even the drums by the hired gun of Krzysztof Klingbein (Vader, Hate, Batushka, Belphegor etc.) sound rather standard and quite uninspired.
The whole thing sounds somewhat tame and lacklustre, not challenging the listener and not offering any depth. This is something Atmospheric Black Metal is supposed to do, but while 40 minutes is not necessarily a very long time for an album, it feels like an eternity that hardly seems to end. Unfortunate, but Efraah Enhsikaah would surely have done better, despite all his professional experience (?), to do some demoing first.
