Artist: Starcave Nebula
Country: Canada
Label: Wolfkult Religion
Format: Demo tape
Year: 2025
If you thought that releasing the likes of Kiloton, Goat Semen and Witchcraft pushed the label Wolfkult Religion far into Extreme Metal label, brace yourselves. With the re-release of this Starcave Nebula demo, the label ventures even further into the extremities of the genre.
‘Asterism’ was originally released in 2023 and is the 15th demo of the Canadian duo. The two songs represent the band’s music for the select few: largely improvised, extremely Lo-Fi Black Metal, raw to the core with odd influences from other genres. A large part of the sound is an oppressive layer of distorted noise that adds much to the gnarly as hell appearance of the demo. Buried much deeper is a rather clean Black Metal musical framework that just as easily transitions into Stoner and even Blues. Paired with tortured screams, the sound is fascinatingly uncomfortable, nearly impenetrable, yet after repeated listens the idea starts to unfold. Somehow the band manages to make music that is hypnotizing and discomforting at the same time, it blends in Bluesy solo, adds groove and all within a bleak and distorted whole. Much of this description is based on the first track ‘Asterism in Phlogopite…’, as the other track ‘Star Sapphire…’ is more stripped down. Without vocals or drums, the Black Metal elements are more suppressed, but the atmosphere is no less uncomfortable and suffocating. So, clearly not the Black Metal for the casual listener, but truly fascinating if you’re one of those entranced by digging into the suffocating depths of this utterly Lo-Fi sound.
