Death Poems by Messier 16
When major artists talk about suicide, it can feel shallow at best and plainly offensive at worst. But when we turn to alternative music, yet again, the topic is often reduced to a throwaway line in an emo song, or invoked for shock value to scare your parents. To find music that really approaches this subject seriously, you have to go deeper underground. That’s where we discovered Norwegian Black Metal band Messier 16 and their new album Death Poems, a series of four vignettes based on true stories. With a heart-wrenching atmosphere and expressive lyrics portraying each victim’s final moments, this mournful release is a must-listen for fans of DSBM.
The first track “Death Poem I: Patience's Callous Virtue” provides an overture for the album, minor-key violins accompanying dramatic vocals before giving way to a rush of double-bass blast beats and throat-shredding growls. Yet the orchestral accompaniment remains throughout the piece, with melancholic riffs maintaining their indifferent pace. The aggressive black metal elements weave in and out, but the underlying strings are a constant sorrowful presence, even carrying over into the first “Rest” track where they take on a dissonant tone before fading into haunting silence.
“Death Poem II: Hollow’s Death Drive” takes on a fundamentally different sound. A panic attack in a song, frantic angular riffs create a sense of dizzying disorientation. “Rest II” stretches this out, tense strings providing a break but no true relief from suffering.
The following track “Death Poem III: Barefoot’s Self Suppression” introduces itself with thuddy percussion at a sludgy page. This song feels the most violent yet the most pained, its boisterous machismo failing to hide the despair just underneath the surface. In contrast, “Rest III” feels feather light, delicate piano notes playing out the intermission.
The final poem “Death Poem IV: Unknown’s Skywide Twin” serves as a culmination of all the previous tracks. Unflinching brutality is delivered with melodic finesse, balanced by intervals of introspective shoegazey riffs. Lyrics lifted from Sylvia Plath’s final letter are instantly recognizable, the author’s words perfectly expressing the feelings of all who have struggled with similar thoughts. Finally, we’re left alone with “Rest IV”, even more ephemeral than the previous interludes. Gossamer synth spiderwebs are woven together and snuffed out all at once, never reaching their true conclusion. 14 seconds of silence follow before the track actually ends.
Those who aren’t familiar with this genre might balk at what’s being presented here. Some might find this exploitative, and by virtue of these stories being true, maybe even worse than shock-rock drivel referenced earlier. But this knee-jerk reaction misses the point of this record. This album is effective because of the artists’ genuine anguish, highlighting the painful impact that suicide has on the living. And by enshrining each story in song, listeners are invited to participate in grieving and honoring the memory of not just Patience, Hollow, Barefoot and Unknown, but all who suffer from suicide.
- Kalen
