Artist: Rotten Moon
Country: Finland
Label: Jems Label
Formats: Cassette Tape
Year: 2025
By no means Finland’s Rotten Moon has ever been a band that was an easy listen or close to a quick Black Metal fix. Instead Antti “Heinous Soul” Klemi has led this specific musical vessel past Raw and Lo-Fi territories and, additionally, shades of his other work in acts such as Absolute Key and Circle Of Ouroborus shone through distinctly, together not making Rotten Moon a perfect fit for your average Watain-fan. However, those who were able to pierce through the gnarly cosmetics of Rotten Moon, found a satisfying trip that is not only brimming with creativity but above all a angst-filled darkness.
As if Heinous Soul didn’t already find the previous Rotten Moon offerings haunting and sinister enough, on this second full-length album he goes a step further in all dimensions. Most notably is the overall production of ‘Wasteland Polarity’. All of Rotten Moon’s previously released recordings were rough around the edges and some even ventured slightly towards Lo-Fi Black Metal. This new one is a downright Lo-Fi piece of Black Metal and rather minimalistic too. As stated above, none of the earlier work was likely to be found under the “Hard & Heavy” section of your nearest His Master’s Voice or Virgin Megastore, but this is indeed quite a step further into what the “normal human being” would label unlistenable.
But as often is the case with the work of Klemi, persistence and stamina is the key, and a good moment to allow yourself to digest it fully also helps. When taken that effort, ‘Wasteland Polarity’ too unfolds like all of his previous Rotten Moon work. The beauty here lies in the simplicity, the single layers of eerie guitar riffs, even more eerie “melodies” and extremely basic drums almost sound like as if they were forged out of a drugged out Sunn o))) session. It is the dragging, almost Funeral Doom-like pace that further propels the music into an uncanny mood. Yet, its fits the bleak atmosphere of Black Metal’s ultimate fundamentals that nails ‘Wasteland Polarity’ firmly into the most unsubtle and bareboned Finnish Black Metal tradition.
It might be clear, Rotten Moon is not for everyone. It wasn’t so before and certainly isn’t now. Enter at your own risk.
