Though yet unable to battle away the legions of the abiogenesis indoctrinated institutions the cinema of celestial collision as blast-shard spread life-seeding theorem, the thought on the locus of all life ah via panspermic cataclysm, presents an explosive proposition to the mad scientist mind as it were applied to creative works. Delineated as a form of imprecise, inevitable fractal spreading per the tendencies for chaos throughout the universe the grotesque and fearsome miscreant deranges all thought on creation as if it were infection, or, invasion of the cosmos by way of scatter-shot life spewed wherever it may stick. As long as they’ve been around Zürich, Switzerland-based black metal project Wyrgher have presented a kosmiche horror-wound, a form of vibrant psyche-bending fiendishness dedicated to embodying science-fictive anomaly, yet with this second full-length album they’ve suited up, pro-geared for an ambitious novella worthy narrative which restates and reconditions the very consciousness of their entity. Presented on a scale which sits on the cusp of human cognitive reach the arc presented within ‘Panspermic Warlords‘ communicates the grand chaotic reaches of biotic infest and usurpation through motion picture worthy advancements made in disso-atmospheric black metal expression, a recent development in human history which best speaks to the human condition as a thoughtless terraformer, a gluttonous survival-obsessed beast who could only ever be their own doomsday device.

With the Helvetic Underground Committee landing nearby its tenth year of union we’ve found an influx of brand new and seeming ancient projects in similar states of boon beyond 2015 and I suppose Wyrgher is one of the harder evolutionary leaps to trace considering they’d put out two releases eight years ago and now manifest a second full-length a full ecliptic cycle beyond. Much in the same way that Lykhaeon returned with a surprisingly refined vision of their original concept so does this esoteric “cosmic” black metal venture recall the era where groups like Wormlust and Oranssi Pazuzu cracked open the ape-skulled rawness of black metal and poisoned ’em all with entheogenic ideas. That is little more than an approximation of what ‘Ü​ü​berirdh (Lugubria)‘ (2015) represented at the time of its release as a raw, certainly experimental act from revered fellowe Menetekel who’d at the time had only just made waves online with the earliest efforts from Ungfell. The vocals were unusual in their expression to say the least, the sound was cruel and brazen yet inventive enough to warrant a more conscious and curated EP release (‘Kosmokrater‘, 2015) a couple of months later. You’ll have to excuse my glossing over these recordings since they are all but unrelated beyond the name of the band and their star-gazing, cosmic horror themed expanse since every aspect of ‘Panspermic Warlords‘ exists on another plane and with the mastery of the artist in present day applied in droves.

War for territory, won by genetic disperse. — In their minds the aliens are not coming, we are “them” having arrived on DNA-crammed celestial detritus billions of years ago as an invasive-yet-feckless force to farm throughout various galaxies. The success, or, the warfare itself is domination by population and the beings that sprout from the spontaneous generation of life per the dispersed ingredients are essentially fodder. If it is a turf war, life itself is a meaningless toss of seeds into dirt for the sake of claiming it. This narrative is certainly more intense in the lyrics and song titles available to ‘Panspermic Warlords‘ and the vigorous, exaggerative motions of the music communicates the severity of futility felt which might afflict those discovering one’s place within an entirely worthless horde. The worthlessness of all trumps concerns of specificity and identity in view of the dioramic, involuntary non-design of existence and as such this specific type of science fiction diminishes the human condition to mere animal noises.

Voluminous fidelity achieved and expansive atmospheric pressure applied are luxuries rather than necessities when it comes to black metal yet when I muse over what Menetekel has managed to produce and illustrate within the most recent renders of glorious Ateiggär, root-bound Ungfell and now Wyrgher with help from Karapan Darvish and Greg Chandler it becomes hard to not -expect- this beauteous level of thoughtfully layered render. Chiseled into view, the three dimensional scouring of forms created within ‘Panspermic Warlords‘ helps to build not only its narrative heft but also its appeal as a cold and menacing “avant-garde” black metal record which leads with a deceptively heady bout of psychedelia-enriched moderne black metal pulse. Shaped with finesse and bounding in a dour, electrically propulsive manner much of the performances on this record speak to the ulterior generations of orthodox black metal as folks beyond the Swedish/French legions began mastering the vernacular. In this sense much of what is accomplished on this album feels like an atmospheric evolution of not only records like ‘Valonielu‘ but also Icelandic black metal’s more derogatory leading forms, something like the melodious blade-bearers of Sinmara or whatever path lie beyond DeathSpell Omega‘s primordial touch.

This is particularly true as we examine the guitar work and how their disso-phrasal language develops over the course of the full listen. The most clear example of this comes between the two preview songs available, first with the spaced bounding of “Destroyer of the Promethean Path”, perhaps the most complex and charming piece on the record’s first act as Wyrgher reach a nigh progressive level of instrumental narrative. This characteristic is sped, doubled and further developed as we reach for the somewhat more chaotic dread-bound dementia found in the patternation of “The Weeping of a Blazing Rock“, here we’ve clearly switched from wandering into frame and presenting the great splay of the beginning moments to the apex of the plot, or, the greatest point of impact. Granted the 9+ minute title track/closer (“Panspermic Warlords”) does an even better job of invoking the peak momentum this album builds from an early point. Even in preview it is clear that these pieces are not throwaway, that this isn’t just another side project and that the high level of polish available to the artist’s better known work is still admirably applied here so that this material’s potential might shine through.

Though I am not sure who drummer Voidgaunt is in terms of any other work the drumming on ‘Panspermic Warlords‘ is the grounding which Wyrgher‘s frothing celestial bestiary needs to retain its impact and the seamless stride taken through the more bounding space rock bass driven turns (~2:25 minutes into “Dormant They Drift”) and adaptive curveballs necessary for more technical sections of certain pieces (~4:50 minutes into “Solar Harvest”) showcase a level of mastery which must’ve been collaborative on some level. The level of substantive variety available to this record is captivating for my own taste and despite its unholy thicker-than-thou atmospheric approach to the oft ringing guitar sound which is capable of riffcraft but also concerned with spastic alien motion. Beyond the obvious spectacle and introductory mastery of “Destroyer of the Promethean Path” I’d suggest that “Supreme Leader of a Dying Star” is just as vitally important to the running order in terms of representing all sides of the full album experience between atmospheric declarative verses, tumbling dissonant tumult, cosmic horror ambiance, and the lounging eerie which creeps into the all of the best pieces on the album long enough to highlight the strong bass guitar presence on the record.

A certain level of expression delivered with conviction within a science fiction universe is admittedly a rarity in and of itself (not just in music, eh) and perhaps because Wyrgher is the work of ambitious and imaginative folks who’ve unlocked some black magickal potentiate within themselves it allows for a dark and impossibly resonant record like this to come across as serious and, oddly enough in accomplished form. At first glance I’d figured ‘Panspermic Warlords‘ might just be a fumbling, overly ambitious experiment yet I’d in fact end up clobbered to the floor by this deeply considered and ornate ~hourlong opus of dread-inducing cosmic black metal menace. The bar which the artist sets for themselves is more than endearing but impressive to no end, and to the point that I’ve found myself lost in this record countless times as I’d examined it. A very high recommendation is warranted.

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