Published: April 29, 2018

Oregon based duo NONE return with their sophomore full length record after dropping their fantastic self-titled debut just last year. Once again built around the structural mainframe of atmospheric black metal, NONE experiment with post-rock and doom elements in crafting the sophomore record Life Has Gone On Long Enough.

With the self-titled debut, NONE had already shown the world that they were the masters of crafting long, epic tracks that built the aura of loneliness and singularity in a grand manner. While the music on Life Has Gone On Long Enough is composed of shorter tracks in comparison, most track still hit the seven-minute mark and NONE’s expertise in creating the atmosphere of a bleak and desolate landscape in the listener’s mind reigns strong.

The tracks, while maintaining their own distinct direction, seamlessly weave into one another to create an atmospheric record that truly shines when being heard as a whole.  Moreover, bringing a balance of light and dark, NONE embodies both the melodic and the heavier side of black metal. Just as the cold glaciers melt and flow into the rivers, “Bed the Cold Earth” and “Corroded” showcase an amalgamation of sonic opposites to perfection as the harsh and cold sections blend into the slower, melodic parts. Given the slow, repetitive style of riffs, elements of funeral doom are well employed as they add their own unique charm to tracks such as “Desiderate”. The track stands out as it ends with one of the most ethereal moments on the album as each singular stroke of the piano feels extremely crushing leading to the build up of “Life is Long Enough”.

There is beauty in the bleakness of the winter, as one looks up to the snow-clad mountains and the dark, dry forests. NONE showcase this not only in their album art, but also with their dark atmospheric grandeur. With Life Has Gone On Long Enough, NONE have crafted a memorable depressive black metal record that surely must not be missed!