Review: Beshenitar ”The Great Wound of History” [Depressive Illusions Records]

Beshenitar (which means suffering and grieving in Persian) is the recent re-name of a Black Metal project coming out of Nowshahr, Iran.  Playing Black Metal in Iran? A brave step indeed in a country that hangs gay people from cranes…  I guess it’d be hard to find band mates and solo is the way you may be forced to go.  Bravo Beshenitar!

On January 13^th 2019 Beshenitar released ‘The Great Wound of History’.  A 13 track, 54 minute slab of soul searching metal.

On opening we have some beautifully corrupted sounding horns that lead us into just as note worth guitar tones in ”Lezegpa”.  ”Under the Solitude” Flag contains keyboard passages that are inspiring, contextually speaking but the mix doesn’t do them any favours, especially when the guitar riffs are so fragile and elegantly placed.  In fact, the whole album has a great tone to it but is let down by its less than perfect, even for the style, mix.

Title track ‘The Great Wound of History’ is a stand up strong as an example of BM attitude. Burzum like in its simplicity and effectiveness, equal in measure.  I’d say the title track is in fact a distillation in song writing skill for Beshenitar.  ‘Taste of Dead Bones’ also rings out with some catchy anti rhythm discordant stuff, BM guitar tone present and correct.  ‘Until the next Felony’ has a surging Heavy Metal pound to it that goes to show that Beshenitar are not a one trick pony and more than that, turns out to be one of the best tracks on this album, leaving the best till last – worthy choice.

The pace of the album is mid-range throughout but it seems to me that the Beshenitar never needs to use the familiar blazing speed of Black Metal to get the point across.  Overall, ‘The Great Wound of History’ is a strange sounding Black Metal album that will resonate with anyone that digs the whole dissonant scene.

If you’d like to take a listen and show support for Beshenitar please click over to Bandcamp and show some love.