Published: June 30, 2023

Already with their first, self-titled release in 2017, None have managed to gain traction and bring some life (pun intended) to the depressive black metal scene. Their previous work Damp Chill of Life attracted unusual attention for the standards of this outcast of a subgenre, and it is not unjustified, given how much of a smooth and seamless listening experience the band provides. With Inevitable, they continue layering the same construction they have been working on since their beginnings, so find a really comfortable spot to sink in before listening.

At 56 minutes duration, it is the longest None album to date, passing Life Has Gone On Long Enough from 2018, by a small margin. As expected, time goes by slower than normal when it comes to cold-blooded records like this, and the band moves languidly for as long as Inevitable lasts. Snail-paced, monotonous melodies with a fuzzy sound and shrieked / howling vocals are the basic ingredients, alongside frequent ambient passages and gloomy clean guitar lines interconnecting different parts of the tracks, showcasing how None excels in album flow. One could describe a lot of bands on the DSBM aisle with similar words and there is no groundbreaking moment here, but if you’re looking for that in such a case it’s on you and not on them.

The harsh guitar sections of the album are wonderful, as much as that is possible. “Rest” is a notable depressive black metal track, while the sequence of the first two pieces “Never Came Home” (which has an introduction that could have been an opening statement in a distorted Ahab song) and “Alone, Where I Can See” include the album’s most compelling moments. Just slightly faster is “A Reason to Be”, another highlight that fully expresses the hopelessness and the agony the band tries to get across, with particularly amazing vocals that remind a bit of Austere or Thy Light.

On the other hand, Inevitable’s potentially fragile side stems from the interludes that are present in abundance, and sometimes take up more space than needed. This is especially evident with the sequence of two basically dark ambient / drone tracks back to back on “My Gift” and “Locked, Empty Room”, where I caught myself losing the grip and the process for a bit. None did not shy away from these elements in their albums before, and they are still, with the exception of the two aforementioned examples, perfectly arranged throughout the rest of the compositions.

For that reason, I don’t think Inevitable does not attain the consistency of Damp Chill of Life, however it still remains a fine DSBM work, with a haunting atmosphere and more variety than your typical release of a similar style. It's aching and it's mournful, as None maintain their suffering for the sake of their craft and push on, with another really solid release. It's well defined, does not contain any pretentiousness and you'll get what you expect, once you press play