Image is important in metal. while it is not a paramount aspect in music, it certainly helps an act stand out among the thousands of peers which all resides on the same Bandcamp page. There are sometimes when a lack of accessibility and information can be that edge which gets an act noticed. Take Vreemdeling whose lack of information and song titles and clear production has coalesced into a demo which is so repellent it makes me what to stay here longer.
Vreemdeling’s debut demo is veiled in the fog of obscured production. The vocals and guitars are buried in a wall of noise while the drums sit even further in the distance. It is important to note that while Vreemdeling chose to do this, the music becomes something else entirely and much to the frustration of others, becomes better because of it. The raw and deranged nature of Vreemdeling’s music can only be heard through distant wailing and heavy noise. The mournful nature of the songs is akin to abandoned cathedrals with high walls of rot. This is the the type of music which can not be heard clear as the noise is just as much apart of the music as anything else.
The aesthetics of low fidelity become clear once one immerses themselves in multiple releases of the same sound. While this sounds like you are neutralizing one’s auditory senses rendering them useless, the good and bad and odd beauty of low production can become apparent after time send in noise. Vreemdeling’s demo, along with brief bits of communication have shown an artist which remains shrouded in mystery. This aesthetic has been around for decades, and by all reason it should be tired by 2016, there is still something exciting about music that does not want to be heard.
Kaptain Carbon is the custodian of Tape Wyrm, a mod for Reddit’s r/metal, Creator of Vintage Obscura, and a Reckless Scholar for Dungeon Synth.