SIK - Cast Below to Rise Above
Cast Below to Rise Above tells the story of a recluse old man, a devotee of Belial, who has reached the point where he realises that the requisition of Belial is now. From his awakening, where he comes to this conclusion, to promising to adhere to Belial’s ways, and then summoning him. Belial arrives for the old man, there is a ritualistic ceremony, and then the beast accepts the old man and opens the gates of hell for him. Lyrically, Cast Below to Rise Above is told from the perspective of the old man until Jason Pepiatt arrives in The Dragon God and takes on the persona of Belial.
SIK is the vehicle for musician Matt Priso to unleash this ritualistic connection upon the Black Metal universe, and what a powerful and dynamic statement it is. Each track on Cast Below to Rise Above is an episode of the concept, beginning with The Awakening and concluding with The Dragon God. The record is a cinematic journey that opens the gates of hell. Musically the album is raw and natural sounding Black Metal with soundscapes and samples that add incredible atmosphere and emotion. For a raw sounding Black Metal album, Cast Below to Rise Above is dynamic throughout its 35-minute runtime. The energy is tangible, and while the pace and aggression ebbs and flows, it is all part of the progression that the old man goes through to open the Obsidian Gates. Matt’s vocals are slightly different from track to track, his range is varied, and this is also complimented by the musicianship - SIK do not stay in the same pocket for long, yet it all flows incredibly well.
The soundscapes and samples sound natural, and other than Tim Pope from The Amenta taking credits for the sample used to open The Dragon God, the rest were created by Matt. He used his phone to record an echo created by tapping on an empty silo and rattled some coins in a beer cooler. The samples place the listener into the story, watching and listening to the old man connecting with Belial. The guitars are dirty, yet the riffs are powerful and catchy. The drum performance is a standout and they have been mixed perfectly, with Robin Stone stepping in here, pummelling away.
The record carries hefty emotion, and it is emotion that is convincing – nothing sounds overproduced, though it does not sound rushed either, Matt crafted the record meticulously and heavily scrutinised it during the editing process – everything is there for a purpose. Earth like qualities are important if you want to tell a story with conviction, and this is a goal that has been well reached here.
A killer record and highly recommended for those that like raw and conceptual Black Metal that is emotive and infectious and packed with integrity.