Review: “Transmission II” EP by Enigmatical

The second in a trilogy and promising to offer a more riff-heavy affair then its predecessor while keeping hold of the electronic influences, “Transmission II” is the work of Enigmatical. Hailing from Stockholm, Sweden the band are comprised of multi instrumentalist The Entity who handles guitars, bass, keyboards, samples and programming alongside vocalist Simon Chttln. Their bio makes for an interesting read as they promised to create a sound “Fusing industrial black metal riffing with sweeping electronic landscapes, Enigmatical aims to create a familiar yet unique listening experience. The lyrical concept takes us through a dark multiverse from the perspective of interdimensional entities, dwelling within the dark energy among us”.

After the introduction sample of “We Are the Demons” that depicts Aliens walking among us following first contact with a past space program, a thunderous Black Metal onslaught of stompy marching drum patterns, riffs and synths builds the layers of darkness to create a sonic storm. The vocals are blacker than the space from which the Aliens came while the programmed drums add an industrial tinged vibe that you might not expect from this kind of sound. Perhaps a Godflesh influence in the mix has helped create that. “E.T.A.I” continues the darkness and builds upon the previous track while also introducing a greater sense of melody with some of the synth work and a Rammstein like bridge with chanted vocals is a nice touch. The Black Metal guitar work is partially buried in the mix but when it does come to the fore it is with some style and the transitions between the more ambient electronic sections and the guitar moments is very well worked. “Dark Energy Entities” starts off like you might expect with a remix, a programmed beat and synth pattern building into a matching guitar pattern that is surprisingly reminiscent of Nintendocore duo Jumpman as the guitar work plays off against the electronics like the original Quake video game soundtrack. showing more range and change in pitching on this cut, Chttln offers a pair of growls in contrast with each other that alternate and offer a fist pumping note to the track that is perhaps the most inspiring of the trio [7.5/10]

Track listing

1. We Are the Demons
2. E.T.A.I
3. Dark Energy Entities

“Transmission II” by Enigmatical is out now and available via Bandcamp.