Rhinocervs, for those unfamiliar with the group, is a label and band operated by two members as a means to distribute the music they had been working on under the guise of anonymity. I found Rhinocervs interesting in that regard, as they (potentially) function as their own musician, distributor, and label which makes their business model wholly attractive from an artistic standpoint. To add a more important note to this model it should be noted that Rhinocervs have made it a goal to prioritize releasing art, rather than create an embodied artist to represent their catalogue. In lieu of this, Rhinocervs catalog their releases very simply, as the current one is simply “RH-14.” But that’s business, and no one really likes to discuss business when they are looking to be entertained.
RH-14’s first untitled track is the largest of the three and in many ways the most full-bodied. From the get go it is reminiscent of artists such as Antediluvian who encapsulate the idea of death metal brutality and black metal form. While that sounds somewhat cliche and easily misinterpreted, don’t fret, this song is fucking pulverizing. As a sucker for the drum tone that is used on this release (and various others), I found myself wholly entertained by the force of the song. There is a deliberate idea within the first track that is melded and erected fully throughout the song’s seven minute length. It should be noted that the vocal work here is particularly enthralling; at times it feels both above and below the listener, eventually coming to a middle point in the mix and engulfing the mix fully.
The second track begins almost seamlessly off the end of the first. Clocking in a two minutes forty-four seconds the track is a quick burst of evil that is driven by a headbanging riff and jarring drumbeat. There’s a heavier sense of atmosphere on this song as well, as the background carries with it church-like humming and towards the song’s end the groove changes and rebounds back into the deviant, tonally dark riff.
The last track is a bit more brooding and trudging from the start. It doesn’t bleed off the second song as the noted before, but it sets the tone for a more sinister finale. Here, RH-14 takes its lower end production to an extremely dark place; the guitar is completely evolutionary within itself, going from tremolo picking to chugging to slower, more drone parts within a few seconds. In some ways, it’s reminiscent of earlier Portal albums, which definitely is not a bad thing. Ultimately, I felt as though RH-14 was spore-like in its infectiousness: it has some wonderful parts that stick with you and remind you of their existence, then it calls you back to reexamine it. A truly strong releases from a strong label / artist collective.
Check out Rhinocervs here.
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