#Prophecy Productions

[drondskaath]

Vemod | The Deepening | 2024

Norwegian Black Metal

[dustedmagazine]

Botanist — Paleobotany (Prophecy Productions)

Photo by Wyman Choy

For much of Botanist’s existence — as an artist, a project and now a band, with a line-up that has cohered over the last few full-length records — their association with black metal has been taken as a sort of given. And as recently as Photosynthesis (2020), Botanist was deploying the harsh tones and shrieked vocals typical of black metal in its many sub- and hybrid genre forms. Listeners familiar with Botanist since the project’s initial releases (this reviewer started listening with III: Doom in Bloom, still his favorite Botanist record) know that Otrebor, founding member and songwriter, has always had a delightfully idiosyncratic and high-concept notion of black metal. Otrebor’s principal axe is an amplified hammered dulcimer. And that band name? It’s serious: all of Botanist’s songs thematize plant life, as mythic protagonist, anti- (or at least counter-) human lifeforce or object of scientific study.

As the title Paleobotany suggests, plant life remains a primary concern, and the band takes a sort of para-scientific approach here, thinking and riffing on the phenomena (and experiences) of ancient vegetation during the long evolution of the earthball’s ecologies. That hammered dulcimer is still the most prominent element of Botanist’s sonic environment, but things are changing in Botanist’s sound. There are bursts of harsh, guttural vocals on some of the record’s tracks, but they operate in a sort of duet with the more prominent clean singing of Mar Stacey. And “clean” doesn’t really capture the heroic, dulcet quality of Stacey’s performance. The vocalist seems to have spent a fair amount of time listening to Jon Anderson’s more operatic turns on Tales from Topographic Oceans.

Yes is a loaded reference, but prog is relevant to Paleobotany in a few ways. Numerous songs on the record evoke a sound akin to Kayo Dot, c. Coffins on Io, for good (some) and for ill (mostly). The long middle of Paleobotany, from “The Impact That Build the Amazon” through “Strychnos Electri,” is Botanist at the band’s most bloodless. You might say, “That’s sort of the point. No blood. Only chlorophyll.” Fair enough. But stultifyingly self-important compositions are still stultifying. The playing and the production shimmer, and to be sure, a beautiful shimmer is an aesthetic property ideally suited to the dulcimer’s brightness. But on that stretch of tracks, you’d be hard pressed to dig up much drama or intensity under the shiny surfaces.

Perhaps Botanist wishes to leave black metal behind, and one can applaud the impulse to change. Even to evolve. The record’s themes loom significantly here. But there’s something to be said for rootedness, and dirt, and darkness. Is it significant that one of the most effective songs on Paleobotany is “When the Forests Turned to Coal”? It’s compositionally ambitious, full of strange noises and forceful playing. There are moments of triumphal grandness, especially in the song’s closing 50 seconds, but there is also a grittier passion. With a bit more cultivation, something more engagingly strange may emerge from Botanist’s less doomy bloom.

Jonathan Shaw

[altarus]

Perchta - D'Muata

Austrian folk black metallers Perchta are back with their sophomore effort and I’ll be damned if it’s not the craziest shit you’ll hear all year. Let’s investigate. Continue reading Perchta – D’Muata

[markantonys]

For a moment Rand was silent as well, looking around at the faces turned to him. At last he said, “I hope to return, but who can say what will happen? The Wheel weaves as the Wheel wills.” He hesitated, with every eye on him. “But I will leave you something to remember me by,” he added, sticking a hand in his coat pocket.

Abruptly a fountain near the Roof burst to life, water gushing from the mouths of incongruous porpoises standing on their tails. Beyond that, a statue of a young man with a horn raised to the sky suddenly was putting up a spreading fan, and then two stone women farther on were casting sprays of water from their hands. In stunned stillness the Aiel watched as all the fountains of Rhuidean flowed once more.

“I should have done that long since.” Rand’s mutter was no doubt meant for himself, but in the hush, Egwene could hear him quite clearly. The splash of hundreds of fountains was the only other sound. Natael shrugged as if he had expected no less.

It was at Rand that Egwene stared, not the fountains. A man who could channel. Rand. He’s still Rand, despite everything. But each time she saw him do it was like learning that he could all over again. Growing up, she had been taught that only the Dark One was more to be feared than a man who could channel. Maybe Aviendha’s right to be afraid of him.

But when she looked down at Aviendha, open wonder shone on her face; so much water delighted the Aiel woman as the finest silk dress might have Egwene, or a garden full of flowers.

– Robert Jordan, The Fires of Heaven

[reality-detective]

The Prophecy of the Last Pope 🤔

They have finally announced that the Pope has passed away 🤔

[tumkaunho]

The Curse of being an Obedient Daughter

Never enough, never seen, never loved, never heard. Sacrificed to the devil. Free labor. No mental peace, no sense of self. Selfish if spoke up. Third parent. Forgotten.

I won't regret this, right? Mom?

Screaming internally just to be heard.

Too tied up in thinking what society would term as "right" than to ever listen to what I truly want.

[forgemill]

Apollo is more relatable than I gave him credit for

[drondskaath]

Aureole | Alunarian Bellmaster | 2024

American Atmospheric Black Metal

[strawberrysugar71]

BRAND NEW 'THE PROPHECY' PASSWORD!!!

If you type in 'BORNFROMTHEEGG' on www.theprophecy.page, it comes up with this:

[nacrelysis]

shove over mo ran, it's my turn to wait five years for chu wanning

[fingertipsmp3]

Finally listened to the anthology songs and they’re so fucking good omg. I don’t know if I can rank them, I just love all of them

[theminiartblog]

Sorry, I've been writing and being radicalized, have some baby twins for your time.

[kirbyddd]

C Button... motivating adherence to offically licensed usage by centering the console around online features is pretty wild. the question is how many features can they pack into it to sell it, nothing from the switch library can integrate online to such a degree. even at its best splatoon is no halo

it's a slippery slope, if they go full xbox one theyll seal their own fate

[tribblesoup]

Neelix in Love