Black Shape Of Nexus: Carrier

Impressive oppression from Germany’s avant doom absurdists

Black Shape Of Nexus cover

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This German six-piece have dived straight into the abyss for their fourth full-length.

Carrier feels its way from the shadows, its acrid, doomy trudge acting like ankle weights, and if opener I Can’t Play It offers a brief, jazz-inflected moment of respite, it’s merely an added torment to the rest of the track. Lift Yourself builds beautiful layers of electronics before switching completely on its head to become a fast, blackened and almost punk-driven song that shows that this sextet understand the absurdity of their plight.

Facepunch Transport Layer may be a wryly humourous title, but it proves to be a lesson in misery and dissonance. Sachsenheim twists in delirium and the song segues between heated sludge and bizarre, off-kilter beats, the steady thrum of bass driving it all towards a maniacal ending.

Carrier is deliciously overwhelming and its sprawling, shifting textures will take more than one listen to pry apart, but Black Shape Of Nexus make it entirely worth the effort.