The second album of mysterious band Titaan “Itima” turned out to be more complex and holistic in comparison with their rambling and disharmonic debut album “Kadingir”. But even on “Itima” there’s a lack of connection throughout the record, especially considering the fact, that there is only one song with duration of more than 46 minutes. But there’s no denial of the despair and gloominess, this release is drenched in dark emotions in some ritual way.
The only member of the band Lalartu definitely draws inspiration in Mesopotamian culture, the music is susceptibly ornated with middle eastern elements, shifting the release to more individualistic path with strong influence of occult arts. Unfortunately, there’s still no information about the Titaan band, so the only thing we left is to enjoy this enigmatic anonymous creation.
The ritual elements increase in the middle of the album, especially when Lalartu chants in prayerlike manner amid the furious chaos of aggression and heaviness. Acoustic passages are too few to give a reprieve from classic black metal evilness, meanwhile the ambient parts guide the music into more profound course. It is not the true black metal in a pure classic way, though Titaan orient precisely on it, but without blind fanaticism to follow all the rules of black metal genre.
The guitar work is primitive (solos as well), and that’s typical for this style, but there’s a lot of attention to percussion section. The use of various drums creates this special occult atmosphere. In addition to violent shrieks, which are mostly performed on this record, the mysterious murmur, whispers and growls complement the vocal pattern. And alongside rapid guitars and various use of drums, it forms truly dismal mood. “Itima” is mostly composed in fast tempo, but with diverse ethnic and ambient passages, this fastness and intensity are smoothing away.
Though the album consists of only one song, in theory it can be divided (making black metal pieces with interludes), but the creator didn’t want to do it due to his own reasons. The tendency to frighten off the potential listeners and music labels really exists, but Titaan aren’t a commercial band to consider this a problem. The sound is not too clear, but it’s not the basement level as well, it’s something between clarity and noise.
The efforts to explore the avant-garde are rather successful, the competent use of ethnic elements with cosmic influence make this record more mystical and unique. So, there’s a possibility, that with the next record Titaan’s music will become even more experimental. And the music itself turned out to be personal and in the same time independently detached, and even the dark and deep black and white cover art is in tune with this concept, so Lalartu was able to create an effect to allow listener not only to dive in this dark ritual music, but in his own subconsciousness as well.
Release date: April 16, 2020
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