Qrixkuor – Zoetrope (Occult Death Metal for Chaotic Connoisseurs)
I see one long track as an album or EP and I’m like yeah this shit’s going to have something to say. And yes, Qrixkuor is such a band and this is such an album, or rather EP. More of an experience perhaps, or just a long ass song even, Zoetrope is a spinning blur of images that only come together when you stare into the chasm at the center (actual zoetrope reference). It’s a veritable sparagmos!
Qrixkuor is one of those bands you know is going to play esotericism to its conclusion and calling this “death metal” is just stupid. Occult, mystical, such words are much better applied prior to the death part. Zoetrope breaks with much tradition, but instead of relying on a barrage of static to hide what is, in reality, banal chording, here instead is a collection of esoteric sounds that are surprisingly easy to understand; ghostly wails, minimalistic drums, church organs, chanting, it’s just a goddamn swirl of rituals spinning round and round. This probably could have been stretched double its finished length and killed even more, but whatever, we’ll take occult as much as we can around here so I suppose an EP is sufficient.
Written by Stanley, Devourer of Souls
Qrixkuor – Zoetrope
Dark Descent Records, Invictus Productions
Cover Art: Santiago Caruso
4.8 / 5
