Album Review: Spider God – Fly In The Trap (Repose Records)

Spider God’s previous releases – eight of them in number of course – have all been markers along the way to this moment, their electrifying shows with Lamp of Mumuur and appearances at the Darkness Over Cumbria festival all stepping stones to this emergence. When Fly in The Trap is released on November 11th by Repose Records.

A concept album that explores the chilling mystery of Elisa Lam, the young Chinese-Canadian woman whose body was found submerged in the rooftop water tank of her LA hotel in 2013.

Plying their trade in the black metal realms, albeit with more melodic tones, Spider God spin an icy cold web of isolation and horror with this new album. A force of spindly nature, the revulsion sticks in the throat even as they darkly beckon you towards them. The concept behind the album is one to remember but the way in which Spider God deliver the bleakness is something else.

This is black metal, breathed into the mind with icy breath and chilling whispers. The inevitable harshness, combined with bitter rawness and complimented by melodic grandeur, freezes the soul. Yet, it is their melodic side that makes the album a more appealing listen. The breaking apart of non-stop black metal intensity, the enhancement of darkness and being alone within it.

You can feel this music thickly in the air around you. Atmosphere aided by guest contributions from the likes of Revenant Marquis, Rope Sect and A Forest of Stars. All of this means the concept, a truly terrifying real-life story, comes through and if you let it really burrow in deep, it makes the whole thing so much emotional. Almost reaching sensory overload if not for Spider God’s ability to pull back when they’re on the brink.

Of course, none of this talk about isolation, loneliness and cold atmosphere means the blackened core of Spider God is found wanting. For a band this outrageously good, that would be nigh-impossible. Fly in the Trap is a maelstrom of black metal, grim and grand, with a ferocious bark and a deadly bite.

This is one creepy-crawly most won’t mind.

Spider God – Fly in the Trap Full Track Listing:

1. The Fifty Second Murderer
2. Traces of Hubris
3. A Thousand Lonely Spiders
4. The Hermit
5. Labyrinth of Hallways
6. Files in the Trap
7. Hiroshima Mon Amour
8. Invisible Light

Links

Bandcamp | Facebook | Repose Records