When presented as transient interregnum, a ghostly bubble of insight freed and inevitably burst for the sake of narrative device, postmodernist literature may very well read as a drug-addled passerby consisting of cheap beat poet novellas and impregnably eccentric symbolism. When planted more directly in mind as critical theory it’d otherwise bloom back into relevance as the relationship between identity, community and social engineering becomes increasingly hard to hide from the diligent seeker. By way of eccentric religiosity per the insular-sighed rituals of a blissful commune we are granted a sugar-built psychedelic utopia butting up against the “purposeless” avengers of reality where it is then left up to the reader to decide which faction are the ideological dregs of a post-apocalyptic society in Richard Brautigan’s short novel In Watermelon Sugar. The obscure but influential book serves as major inspiration for surrealistic literature (or “magical realism”) themed Czechia-based post-black metal quintet Somniate‘s second full-length album wherein its already dark events are restructured, telling the story from a different perspective. Passion for the subject matter and its personally derived meaning can be felt per the authorship of ‘We Have Proved Death‘ as its interpretation serves a variety of modes and unexpected nods outside of the black metal realm for the sake of wilder coloration. The theme of the album is equally notable, intending to shake loose the blindness of those living in false realities, to exorcize those who are possessed by their cult by way of a brief yet engaging strike of poetic discourse and quick-witted modern black metal practicum.

Somniate formed circa 2017 between members of Prague death metal group Brutally Deceased and Pilsen based black metal project Sól intending their own vision of scholarly, sophisticated black metal which’d clearly recognized the high standards of darkest high-minded atmospheric music of the time and identified what the gap was/is between serious contemplative art and thoughtless opportunism. In this sense you might’ve crumpled back into yourself upon reading the “post-black metal” tag applied to their music but this is an ugly yet necessary tag rather than a most correct or fitting label per niche identification since their output thus far has broken even the lax guidelines we find in elite Icelandic and French black metal, perhaps taking some cues from the unlimited self of groups like Inferno nearby in authoring their own illustrative, highly melodic and tuneful style. The first full-length from the group ‘The Meyrinkian Slumber‘ (2020) might’ve set the conversation upon Gustav Meyrink’s ghetto-set brilliancy The Golem for its fittingly Prague-set Kafkaesque muse but the technically sound, passionately achieved, and expressive form of black metal they’d managed to land within a particular sweet spot between the savagely intense physical achievement of extreme metal and an intellectual ponderance which connects the intensely thinking, feeling centre of the artist with the athletic exhaustion of the body. It is a rare standard met and one which’d felt brief, impulsive and a good start.

‘We Have Proved Death‘ uses that first record as a general framework in terms of its succinctness, expanding upon language of semi-dissonant and melodic guitar phrasing, and a theme which studies “weird fiction” for meaning and twists it to suit their narrative. In this case there was perhaps no need to twist the story too deeply as In Watermelon Sugar is often read ironically, interpreted almost in an Logan’s Run sort of sense with an emphasis on corporatism and plenty of musing over the meaning of the mass suicide which is recalled in the final chapters. Here I don’t think Somniate miss the point at all, their own reveal of “what is left unsaid” receives and reacts to the story in the naturally cynical way the postmodernist writing of Brautigan ought to inspire while revealing the façade of utopian idealism and cult of mind/personality. The lyrics of the album are feasibly antisocial, venom from an antagonistic justiciar which I’d ultimately found in line with the sentiments of those who live among the Forgotten Works, suggesting we are getting the grim otherside of the tale.

Somniate once again keep things brief with another ~33 minute release, splitting their work into six pieces overall which’ve tempered the percussive grate of their drumming, relying less on aggressive blasted-at movement in favor of a serpentine stalk and lunge sort of dynamism on ‘We Have Proved Death‘. Having worked with the illustrious BST for ‘The Meyrinkian Slumber‘ and now finding some strong harmony with V. Santura for these sessions the notes for this record must’ve included some similar emphasis on the brutality of their compositions but a render dynamic enough to just as easily fall into sleepier, distanced pieces. Opener “I Am Here and You Are Distant” is the perfect example of the sentimental yet tormented tone of the full listen and its passionate, expressive vocal performances. Zdeněk Klekner‘s vocals are not only quite varied and arranged with great narrative sense but they likewise often ride the line between extremely over the top and fitting as the emotional heft of each piece. His howling register often reaches a primal, end of the rope strain which is entirely fitting for the quite modern sound of the band where beauteous harmonization often just as quickly arrives upon wrathful yet tactful use of dissonance.

A molten lens upon the far side of darkness. — There is a sort of post-hardcore affect to the most clashing moments found on ‘We Have Proved Death‘, especially as “A Lamb at False Dawn” spins through its dramatic yarn but this isn’t as surprising as some of the more technical off the wall interjections found on “The Statue of Mirrors” and perhaps the most impressive song of the lot, “Black Soundless Sugar” which hits upon a sort of afro-jazz rhythmic break in between strides of arpeggiated dissonance and whirring bursts of speed. The whole album begins to feel like an appropriate step beyond what’d been done on the previous album as this piece warms up and the need for repeated listens to the full album begins to call. That’d be one of the most important notes to take here beyond the increasingly emotive bluster of the band reaching an intense high herein, that all of Somniate‘s work thus far more-or-less justifies repeated listens for the amount of fleet footed detail they’ve put into each piece. The landscape presented within any one of their ~5-7 minute songs is deceptively dense with forested events as even at their most melodic, cinematic highs there is a daggered-at low or aggressive turn guaranteed on the horizon. “Non-You” is a particularly good example of both sides revealing in sweetened, fluid phrase but as a tumultuous and aggressive dynamism inherent to the character of the full listen.

As an after-the-fact fan of ‘The Meyrinkian Slumber‘ I was happy to find that this second Somniate LP was equally tasked with a balance of violent aggression, easier flowing melodicism and dissonant phrasing which keeps things thoroughly entertaining within repeat listens. ‘We Have Proved Death‘ is not only a well rounded listening experience compacted into an intense modern black metal session but the whole package between the lyrics, the art curation (cover art from View From the Coffin) and the sensical evolution of the tracklist per the narrative all speak to a work enriched by the layers of meaning developed within (rather than tacked on.) A high recommendation.

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