Building even more on the distinctive usage of synths from their previous pair of albums, New York hipster/black metal artists Krallice have produced an odd little experiment for their twelfth full-length. Again, released without fanfare straight to their Bandcamp with physical editions on CD and tape to follow in June, Porous Resonance Abyss is practically instrumental (there don't seem to be any vocals, but there are moments where you're unsure...) four 'parts' that range from just under five minutes to just over twenty-one in length. Musically it's closer to some of the prog oddities like Tangerine Dream than the pure black metal of before thanks to the upfront synth peaks and troughs, psychedelic to the max, atop typically intense and interesting drumming from Lev Weinstein.

This is particularly true of opener Part I, an ominous and not at all unmusical exploration of the middle ground between John Carpenter-esque soundscapes and the most abstract of black metal meanders, growing towards the end into a more pummelling experience thanks to the increase in blackened energy and some interesting backing basswork. A more intense and pummelling Part II follows, warmer and richer in the overall cacophony akin to the previous albums' Botanist leanings, the clattering percussion overtaking the synths before being drowned out in turn.

As you'd expect from the description thus far, this is definitely an album to appeal to the drum and synth-oriented fans of the project rather than those who enjoy past complex guitar creations, and yet the way that a complex blackened structure is built out of the cacophony (Part III being a great example) will appeal to those who have kept the faith with Krallice so far. Part IIII is definitely the overall highlight here, the most like a journey, and the most ambient and soundscape-esque piece. It begins slow, a stately and ominous build with echoing drums, soon taking steps forward into the Botanist-esque melodicism of before.

Building further, the scurrying percussion leaps away beneath the synths, which take on a neoclassical dimension and also feel like the icy dimensional bleedthrough of past albums' Enslaved tributes as the rhythm section grows more complex and progressive beneath the shimmering keyboards. It's hypnotic and gripping even before the gear-change down around the halfway mark into spacey ambience, sci-fi movie soundtrack territory - remaining there for over five minutes without growing dull or even feeling repetitive! And then restarting like a deranged, transcendent Church organ, the drums beating a militant backing as the band weave a careful path between melodic glory and proggy flourish...

Overall this is a strange album, quite a step towards the leftfield even for Krallice and one that plenty of other bands would have relegated to EP or even side-project status. Based on the first three parts alone that would be fair enough, but there's more than enough meat on Part IIII's chunky bones to warrant album status for Porous Resonance Abyss. Definitely an interesting album that won't appeal to all but that continues Krallice's status as necrovoyagers par none, however hipster-ised.