Faidra - Six Voices Inside

A prelude to winter.

(Originally submitted to the Metal Archives on December 20th 2022) 

November is that time of the year for me, more specifically the time where I engage in what is referred to as “Nothing But Black Metal November”, or NBBMN for short. It’s an excuse for me to binge a genre that I very much enjoy, but always played second fiddle to my favourite genre, death metal. During the month, I either check out new bands or revisit albums and artists I found in the past, with Faidra, and their 2020 debut Six Voices Inside being a case of the latter. The album randomly came to mind a few weeks ago, and I remember having a positive opinion of it when it came out, and it coming to me two years later has to mean something, right? Remembering a project I only listened to once or twice years ago wouldn’t make sense otherwise.

Six Voices Inside is an atmospheric black metal record, but not in the sense of “lo-fi tremolo picked guitars over a constant blast beat”. It’s a much slower, and at times relaxed affair, with hints of melody running through the almost gentle arpeggios and glimmering synths. While there are some bursts of speed, as seen on “The Judas Cradle”, they’re few and far in between, with our anonymous mastermind focusing on creating a calm and meditative mood through repetition. This approach works especially on tracks like “A Pact Amongst Wolves”, where a slow tremolo riff is discreetly accented by light keys, casting a veil of melancholy over the proceedings, setting the tone for things to come. It’s very simple and straightforward in its execution, and it’s an approach that works for the most part.

I say that because while I do enjoy this album’s vibe, it does fall short on the variety front, leading to a rather monotonous experience, a pitfall for many atmoblack releases. It’s just that instead of being a flat stream of tremolo riffs, it tends to meander through its 42-minute runtime. Energetic moments like the one I mentioned on “The Judas Cradle” are very sparse and only appear a handful of times throughout, like in “Obsequies”, where a crunchy mid-tempo riff is joined by a tremolo lead, which is quite a unique moment within the context of Six Voices Inside. Another particular standout is the finale of the closing title track, where an uplifting tremolo riff is joined by some soft chants. And yes, I am mentioning these moments because they’re memorable, but they don’t stand out solely because of that, but also because they’re surrounded by rather dour songwriting that only works half of the time.

As for the production, it’s lo-fi but not in the traditionally “kvlt” manner, seeing as there’s a latent warmth to everything, which really helps bring out that aforementioned melodicism. The guitars’ thin, buzzing tone is supplemented nicely by the pulsating bass, adding a layer of texture as it hangs in the back, all while the drums sound solid, with the cymbals in particular being given a healthy dose of reverb that makes their presence linger over the music. The synths are also incorporated tastefully, avoiding atmoblack’s general overreliance on them to conjure up an atmosphere. They are present and audible whenever they appear, but they never take centre stage. It’s a good mixing job, and though it is slightly unremarkable it nevertheless creates some potent soundscapes for the listener to get lost in.

On the whole, Faidra’s debut serves as a good stepping stone for the band to reach out and achieve something great with its music. Six Voices Inside might not have been the atmoblack tour-de-force I expected based on the fact that it randomly crossed my mind so long after my original listen, but I still appreciate its general feeling. Its subdued and less hostile nature was a perfect fit for what was an unusually warm November, one where one day it rained and the other it was 20 degrees Celsius outside.

Highlights: A Pact Amongst Wolves, The Judas Cradle, Six Voices Inside

Rating: 73%