Soul Dissolution are a Flemish duo formed by vocalist Acaharan and guitarist and bassist Jabawock (Boris Iolis, who we also find in the excellent doomsters Marche Funèbre). Pale Distant Light is the first full length, released in 2016 and reissued in cassette format by Heaten Tribes last August, by this project aimed at exploring the most melodic and atmospheric aspects of black metal, placing itself along the lines of the unavoidable Agalloch and with some melodic deviation towards the equally seminal Alcest. The operation is conducted by the duo with great skill, giving life to a really pleasant album, in which the occasional roughness are often diluted by harmonious openings and by the sure emotional impact. The beautiful Waiting, track that opens the work, photographs perfectly the modus operandi of Soul Dissolution, moving sinuous between melancholic guitars and a rhythmic base of medium speed, overhung by the scream not too harsh Acharan. In the rest of the album there are episodes of this tenor, always characterized by a well defined melodic and atmospheric design, and others where acoustic solutions or piano hints take the stage, as in the instrumental Immanence Of Unfulfillment. The centerpiece of the work is undoubtedly represented, however, by the mini-suite The Final Dissolution, the first part of which was also part of the debut demo dating back to 2014, as well as the other track This Red Painting In The Sky: the initial third, titled Hatred Spawned From Longing, shows well imprinted the mark of black metal with the frenzied blast beat placed in the opening and then dissolve in a mid tempo with vaguely epic traits, while the next one (Fields Of Stone) is an acoustic episode that opens the door to the final fragment (which gives the album title), also with evocative and melodic traits, even in its robustness. Pale Distant Light is an album that could gratify those who love the bands mentioned as possible sources of inspiration and is, in general, a good demonstration of the compositional skills of Iolis even in a different genre from that of his mother band.

2016 – Throats Productions