Way To End
Desecrated Infernal Journey

December 2009
Released: 2009, Debemur-Morti
Rating: 4.5/5
Reviewer: Alan Gilkeson

Here's something different, not the typical Black Metal fare. Frenchmen Way To End experiment with inharmonious and byzantine structure and progression, flagrantly challenging Black Metal norms, using disparity in the chronological design, offering an array of atmospheres. It's quite a challenge to listen to because it requires considerable attention to really get into the flow, nothing happens without a reason or emotion behind it.



Surely the main ingredient of all types of Metal music is the mighty guitar riff. Way To End forgo the riff, choosing to incorporate a method of mixing melody, where no one instrument is prominent, even the voice blends in with the overall sound. Yet the overwhelming expression is discordance, disharmony, disintegration. It's quite an achievement, very avant-garde but not so much so that it veers off into the noise of modern avant-garde music. And though, it's all meant to blend together, I'd be remiss in not mentioning a couple of awesome guitar parts, beautiful solo-like interludes, on the tunes 'No Dreams' and the powerfully ethereal 'Unconscious Evocation Of A Neverending Search'.



Now France isn't very well known for its Metal Scene, but the French label Debemur Morti have introduced some quite interesting bands in recent months, including Australia's Ruins and re-releasing the highly influential Arckanum records from the 90s. Whether this is a sign of the apocalypse or movement of the French Metal scene to the forefront of extreme music remains to be discerned, however, if there are more bands like Way To End hiding in the land of human rights, be prepared for the onslaught.