Again, the same doubt: what is the true about Black Metal sound production? How the style must sound?

Some say that the "true" Black Metal sound quality is that one as harsh and raw as possible, to justify what VENOM, BATHORY and MAYHEM did in the past. Others, with an pen mind, prefers to say that Black Metal can sound in anyway the band's want, and the more important is the music itself. And Big Daddy here is one on the last group, with only one demand: the music must be understandable, just this way. And so on, bands as the North American quartet PALINOPSIA can be show us a good work as we can hear on their EP "Murmurs From The Well Nothing More".

Mixing a traditional way of Black Metal with some Sludge Metal influences, they sound abrasive and raw as both styles requires, but without being a fuzzy sound mass. Even some feeling from Heavy Rock from the 70s is presented amongst the harsh shrieked vocals, distorted and abrasive riffs, and solid and thunderous bass and drums' works, with some interesting rhythmic changes. It's darkened, morbid, but very aggressive.

The sound quality is raw, but not to the point of turning their music something we can't understand when putting the disc to play. It seems that they knew the point where things could be messed up, and didn't try to pass it.

Another positive point of the EP is the songs' duration. None of them lasts more than 5 minutes (except for "Morning Hid The Hills"). "Three Sisters" is an atmospheric, slow and bitter song, with nasty vocals and very good rhythmic basis, as "Silt" follows the same path, only with a more melodic guitars' work. On "The Unturned Snare", a depressive feeling fills the entire song, coming from very good and sharp guitars. Their longest song, "Morning Hid The Hills", follows the abrasive feelings, but with some more aggressive and fast moments, breaking the slow conception of the band, but it's good to see that the band's know how to break the monotony. And "Celestial Rift" has a fast beginning, but soon the song drowns again in a slow and depressive tempo, showing again very good vocals.

A good EP, but the band can do more than we heard here.