I SHALT BECOME - Requiem CD Review

I SHALT BECOME - Requiem CD
Moribund Records

Trying to review and get into a Black Metal release by another one man outfit during the summer months is not fun. You're listening to something that's cold, creepy and hypnotic. While at the same time you're looking out the window and the sun is shining. To make matters worse it's hot, very hot. Who wants to sweat to BURZUM inspired Black Metal? I'd be better off reviewing this during Fall or better yet in the Winter. You know those fun months when the weather and music you're listening to inspire one another.

I'm sure that S. Holliman (aka: I SHALL BECOME) recorded this during the cold winters of his home state of Illinois. Please note that it's the same area which spawned fellow USBM one man outfit JUDAS ISCARIOT. The cuts on here are definitely from someone who's outlook on life is bleak. And with depression comes laziness since this is Holliman's first release of new material in years. Unfortunately it was during those lost years that other one man Black Metal outfits like KROHM, XASTHUR and LEVIATHAN have taken over the market. And to some people's distaste, have become too hipster. So in the summer of 2008 when a new CD by another one man Black Metal outfit, inspired by BURZUM of course, is released. It's not such a big deal.

But to the credit of I SHALL BECOME the music here has plenty of misery to spread around albeit not groundbreaking. If you like textbook BURZUM Black Metal (of course I do) then you'll be a lost soul without this one in your CD player. The vocals, actually screams, are held back letting the music carry the day. Sound wise there's equal parts fast and furious along with more mellow atmospheric haunts. All in all there's nothing here that any Black Metal fan hasn't heard before or will jump out of their easy chair and scream "Hail Satan"! But it's until the next I SHALL BECOME CD comes out. And going by S. Holliman's timetable that will be in 2016.

www.moribundcult.com