Autarkh – Form in Motion – Album Review

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Welcome to the world of Autarkh; an industrialised, futuristic dystopian nightmare fuelled by artificial intelligence and mechanised noise.

This new breed of robotic tones comes courtesy of a brand new extreme metal outfit featuring former members of Dodecahedron. However, fans of Dodecahedron’s avant garde black metal sound may find founder member Michel Nienhuis’ next evolutionary step more than just a challenge!

Whatever your reaction turns out to be, there’s no denying that Autarkh are pushing metal’s boundaries in a manner that will divide opinion and while black metal remains the most convenient touchpoint, in reality, black metal this ain’t!

With synthetic, glitchy IDM beats harassing you at every opportunity, the electronic percussive overload encountered here is almost impossible to assimilate and will lead many to turn off in an instant. However, those who persevere, should prepare themselves for a cybernetic wall of abstract black metal meets hardcore barks and screams atop a tsunami of unpredictable electronica, complex rhythms and djent riffs.

Ugly and confrontational, Autarkh are no doubt fully aware of both the adulation and anger that’s comin’ their way upon the release of Form In Motion. After all, when you settle on a sound that embraces aural cacophony in such a conceptually difficult way – and without a thought for traditional methods – you are bound to be accused of producing nothing but an unlistenable mess.

But, ultimately, this is what metal should do – it should divide opinion and prompt debate and Form In Motion is guaranteed to do exactly that! We, for one, have no choice but to acknowledge the forward-thinking nature of this release and revel in its achievements! 8/10

Autarkh’s debut album, Form In Motion, is due for release on 12th March, 2021 on Season of Mist records.