"Unmaker" By LLNN
Post-Apocalyptic Sounds From Copenhagen
There is an album release coming up on September 24 that you shouldn't miss in any case: "Unmaker" by LLNN is a textbook example of dark and heavy post-metal. If you are enthusiastic about this genre, you should definitely check out this monolith.
The first song, "Imperial", is resonant and threatening, complex and energetic. Rigid and heavy basses alternate with droning guitar riffs. It puts you in a certain kind of mood and captivates you from the start.
"Chaotic times bring dark sounds"
The next song is called "Desecrator". LLNN sound designer Ketil G. Sejersen describes it like this:
"In chaotic times, chaotic sonic vibrations sprout in the form of pulverising energy, desperation and heaviness. This song is all about that."
That doesn't only sound crass – it is. The second track on the record lacks ear protection in its 4:13. It picks up the listener in this one place where we all are right now: On a wave of confusion and doubt, uncertain what awaits us behind the next corner. At the same time, it is a gutural invitation to dive further into the sound underground of LLNN and explore the darkness and heaviness that awaits us there.
Claustrophobia and futurism
With the next song, "Obsidian", I have finally landed in the futuristic world of LLNN. The track pictures an intense future that is still ahead of us. I can see the dense, claustrophobic crawlspaces and corrosive scanner lights that the band had in mind when they composed it in my mind's eye.
"Vacuum" then takes it up a notch. With its 2:12, the mystical sounding track is the most compact one on the record. It seems like some riddle to me. A drilling drone spreads out and captures my attention. In terms of sound, "Vakuum" is an absolute masterpiece – I would love to listen to it as a score for a dystopian short movie – delusions of persecution included. I particularly like the shouts here. They suddenly appear, only to disappear into the mist again.
"Scion" begins with dramatic vocals. There is no room for a long intro here. What needs to be said needs to be said. Nevertheless, the song doesn't fall through the cracks. For me, it is the continuation of its predecessor and the perfectly overdriven highlight of the record. I can hear Amenra here, but also Year Of No Light and influences from the industrial niche.
"Unmaker" tells many stories
I like how the record develops. I can hardly add anything to the words of singer and guitarist Christian Bonnesen about the next song, "Interloper". LLNN have put his words to music perfectly:
"It's a song about feeling worthless. Forever doomed to sit with the kids at the dinner table, fed with scraps from banquets of kings."
Each song tells its own story. Altogether, this creates a monumental epos that you definitely should listen to in one piece sometime soon.
"Division" and "Forger" set the pace
"Division" pushes the tempo and pulls me even closer to the abyss. Damn, how I wish to experience this track live on stage. While I'm writing this, I am picturing the dust kicking up under the feet of the stomping audience.
"Forger" kicks off at full speed, metallic and angry – raw and wonderful. It is followed by the longest song on "Unmaker" with 6:03. It melodically sticks to the storyline and, after a short, almost contemplative opening, immediately ramps up to the usual heaviness, alternating with exciting phases of calm. It is precisely this alternation of solid plateaus and thoughtful moments that makes the track my favourite on the album.
The next song, "Tethers", is an excellent transition – it sets another contrasty landmark. Finally, "Resurrection" provides a dignified epilogue, which seems like the landing after a years-long exploratory flight through the depths of space full of dangerous encounters and adventures.
With their third album, LLNN have done everything right. "Unmaker" fits into the year 2021 perfectly, and it will still bring us a lot of joy in the future.
LLNN - about the band history
In the past, the band from Copenhagen has already played concerts at Roskilde, Roadburn and ArcTanGent Festival. Also, among other things, they have been on tour through Europe with Bison. So LLNN is by no means a blank slate in the post-music scene.
After their first album, "Loss", they recorded a split EP with Wovoka. Then, in 2018, they released their second album, "Deads". It was was already more complex than their first LP and paved the way for the upcoming new record "Unmaker", which will be released next week.
The band members report that with "Deads", they further explored the fusion of guitar, bass and synthesizer layers. With their new record, they have clearly perfected this skill.
I like that the tracks on "Unmaker" still don't seem too overloaded or dense at all. Instead, they blast properly, telling stories from a post-apocalyptic world between science fiction, horror and film noir/psycho road movie.