This one came out of nowhere. No previous mention, no appearance on a Terratur Compendium. Here is Robust, from the fires of Nidaros, with their full-length debut.
From the first notes it’s clear that the music on ‘Robust’ is taking a less common take on the Black Metal genre. Balancing a raw Black Metal core with cleaner, almost progressive passages, snarling high-pitched shrieks and an ever-looming sense of unpredictable unease, the music harbors a few striking elements. It has that raw energy and riffs of Gorgoroth’s earliest albums ‘Pentagram’ and ‘Antichrist’, and vocals that are very close to those of the then vocalist Hat on that first record. In terms of rawness there are also clear similarities with Ildjarn and Akitsa, not in the least because Robust has a similar infusion of Punk in their sound. Yet Robust is a little bit less minimalistic than Akitsa, drawing a sense of exploration from the likes of S.V.E.S.T., Deathspell Omega, and labelmates Issolei, although without escalating too far into dissonance. The final product is harsh and volatile yet has a certain finesse and vision that’s uncanny.
Key to the listening experience is a sense of catchiness that lets you hold on to the core of the songs. For instance, in ‘Form of a Bear’ this anchor is contained in the main riff, while the drum rhythms are rather unorthodox. The drumbeats are almost mechanic at times, offering a fascinating contrast with the snarling vocals and pulsating bass. ‘Enchanter’ has that same type of Gorgoroth-inspired riffs, but the song turns more atmospheric, almost Jazzy as it transitions into a clean break. Despite the madness the song contains, Robust make it sound convincing and logical, a remarkable feat for a nearly eight-minute song. In a song like ‘Feather Key’ the pace is generally rather low, and there’s a sense of monotony to it. The break is almost sweet sounding and has a Progessive Rock type of solo, before the song escalates and the vocals reach a downright manically intense tempo. ‘Sulphurous Ash’ is catchy in both riffs and the off drum beats, and takes a rather delirious darker turn as it progresses. ‘Infinity Beast’ is a more rocking track with a solid dash of Motörhead. But the pinnacle of creativity is ‘Reconciliation’, a groovy track that escalates back and forth, a song filled with feeling and layers, and a testament for the greatest accomplishment of Robust: crafting something coherent from atypical and contrasting elements.
What’s not to like here. The rawness of the riffs, the odd breaks and twists, the almost inhuman pitch of the vocals. ‘Robust’ is an unconventional and unpredictable take on Black Metal, beautifully crafted into an intriguing whole. Clearly not your every-day band, Robust might not be to everyone’s liking. But to those that care to delve into the lunacy contained in ‘Robust’, you are in for an utterly captivating experience.
