Allow me to put this in a direct manner, “Polterngeyst” isn’t an easy listen in any way, shape of form.
The production is so muffled that the drums are reduced to thuds behind a wall of noise. The faster passages are cavernous cacophonies, which are also accentuated by ghastly and indiscernible wails and howls.
There are also Dark Ambient tracks, which drag and induce a droning and hypnotic feeling.
Now, for the uninitiated, all these traits can be seen as hindrances to the enjoyment of the album. Therefore, let’s make something sparkling clear,” Polterngeyst” is not an album for those who are looking for something pretty or easy to listen to.
What we have here is contempt and misanthropy in sonic form. A gray and somber soundscape that isn’t welcoming, isn’t pleasurable, and it doesnt want or need to be.
This was my first exposure to Revenant Marquis work, and the estrangement of my first couple of listens was filled with a magnetism that only these fringe and authentic artists can provide.
For in times when mainstream Metal as a whole has become stagnant and sterile, having albums like this, which challenge the listener with its smothering characteristics, is a rewarding experience if you aren’t afraid to delve deeper into the darker boundaries of Black Metal.
If you are interested in bands such as Abruptum, Obskuritatem and Black Cilice, its a disservice to yourself not to check out Revenant Marquis.
