MRTVI – Perpetual Consciousness Nightmare – Album Review

Source // www.apochs.net

MRTVI is essentially Damjan Stefanovic, credited as ‘all instruments and voice’; a one man Black Metal/Industrial/Grind/Negative Atonal Dissonance machine who’s debut album, Perpetual Consciousness Nightmare, is quite possibly the most disturbing noise our previously thought of as desensitised ears have heard in a long, long time.

A concept album, described in MRTVI’s press-release as “depicting the moments and thoughts following a young man’s suicide.” Perpetual Consciousness Nightmare “tells the story of his travels through what Buddhists described as the ‘intermediate stages’ between lives. After reflecting on his own thoughts and emotions, he slowly comes to realise that his work is unfinished; that life is a maze, a puzzle to be arranged and rearranged, and that his return to the physical realm is imminent”. Intense.

If that metaphysical description doesn’t pique your interest then perhaps we can attempt to enlighten you further. Perpetual Consciousness Nightmare is akin to hearing all of humanity’s voices at once, a stifling, groaning, screaming cacophony of noise and innner thought that you cannot turn off, ever.

Quite frankly, it’s overwhelming and that would appear to be the point.

Like Aphex Twin, Meshuggah, Mr Bungle and Mayhem engaging in a ritualistic orgy and spawning a screaming, soul-sucking succubus of an offspring, the layers upon layers of dissonant guitars and vocals shatter the nervous system and leave you exhausted, emaciated and yet enthralled by the sheer expansive nature of MRTVI’s unique vision.

Our final verdict? 10/10 (or 1/10 depending on your tolerance for an extreme work of dark art that redefines musical boundaries for much of its duration). Sh*t, we’re confused.

Perpetual Consciousness Nightmare will be available as a limited edition CD and on digital and cassette formats from May 25th. Pre-order and have a sneaky listen here.