Aversio Humanitatis – Behold the Silent Dwellers (Review)

This is the second album from Spanish black metallers Aversio Humanitatis.

Aversio Humanitatis play a modern brand of black metal, replete with apocalyptic atmosphere and dark death metal elements. I suppose you could loosely describe this band as a cross between Behemoth, Schammasch, Blut Aus Nord, and Deathspell Omega, and while this does give you a starting point for Aversio Humanitatis’ sound, it doesn’t reveal the full picture.

Swirling dissonance and blackened psychedelia swarm the listener, while aspects of post-black metal draw you into the band’s creative vision. Brutal darkness is combined with expressive moods to craft 36 minutes of emotive, well-written music.

There are hair-raising moments aplenty on Behold the Silent Dwellers, and it’s clear that the band know how to weave atmospheres that are as affecting as they are effective. The band’s core of dark aggression is allowed to reign widely, mutating and warping into modes of assault that are distinctly non-standard and atypical. These frequently go so far as to merge with other styles and subgenres, so that the aggression is only incidental to the new atmospheric explorations that area opened up.

Although I certainly enjoyed 2017’s Longing for the Untold, Behold the Silent Dwellers is even better than I was hoping for.

Very highly recommended.