Full of Hell and Nothing When No Birds Sang

On paper, the idea of a collaboration between extreme black/death/grind/hardcore warriors Full of Hell and heavy shoegazers Nothing might seem like an odd fit. While Nothing certainly traffic in aspects of abrasiveness and noise at times, there's always a deep sense of melody traversing through their music, and it's culminated in some of the catchiest music that the newer wave of shoegaze bands have brought forth, with multiple records in their catalog celebrated by even those with an adverse look towards most heavier music. 

Full of Hell on the other hand have consistently pushed their cocktail of sonic terror into harsher, more intense territory, exploring elements of more heavy subgenres than I could even list, though a strong and consistent undercurrent of blackened metallic hardcore has always been there, helping them to forge their own unique identity in extreme metal. However, what could have been a mix of oil and water immediately feels like it makes sense in the opening moments of their new collaborative full length When No Birds Sing, and as it progresses it becomes clear that this record is far more than the sum of it's parts, it's something truly special indeed.

It's really hard to understate how well Full of Hell and Nothing have nailed the feeling of pure existential terror on this record. Both bands have always been adept at translating pain and hopelessness through music, but paired together they reach a combination of both serene beauty and harsh futility that it's hard to imagine many artists could reach, even these two by themselves. Opening with a crushing blackened sludge assault in “Rose Tinted World”, initially you'd be forgiven for thinking this might end up sounding like a slower paced Full of Hell record.

That assumption is thrown out as soon as the second song “Like Stars In The Firmament” hits, where the gorgeous and haunting melodic guitarwork and vocals almost feel like a reprieve from the previous track, at least until you take a closer look at the bleak and foreboding lyrical content. Bringing to mind the most depressing and downing aspects of slowcore bands like Codeine and Karate, it's a beautiful song that feels a bit like staring into an abyss, though there's always the feeling that at any time something will reach out of that darkness to grab you. 

And that idea of something coming for you is not just a suspicion but indeed comes full circle multiple times on When No Birds Sang, like the slow burning build up to the climax at the end of midpoint track “Forever Well” where Full of Hell vocalist Dylan Walker comes in full force against a backdrop of guitar, bass and drums that hit with the force of crashing waves in pitch black darkness. Both Full of Hell and Nothing have played together throughout the years, collaborated on merch during a small tour and played what I'd imagine was most likely some of this material together a few years back at the legendary Roadburn Festival in the Netherlands, and it's crystal clear throughout this record that these two artists have an immense respect for each other and their individual bodies of work. 

When No Birds Sang rarely feels like it's anchored more on either band's side than the other, instead feeling at times like a brand new band entirely, a rare achievement for most collaborative albums. Regarding the recording itself, the band made a great choice in employing producer and fellow musical peer Will Putney, who ensures that every moment on this record sounds as huge as both band's clearly intended it to. Also of note is the impeccable flow of this record, with an organic progression from one song to the next that can only have me recommending listening to it front to back every time for the full effect.

Bottom Line: When No Birds Sang is a rare collaboration between two like minded artists who may take different paths at time but clearly share a similar ethos and approach to their craft. The immense level of respect both bands have for each other is clearly shown throughout this record, and we as listeners are all the better off for it as we've been treated to one of the years most unique heavy records, a pairing of beauty and bleakness that you'll find hard to emotionally shake after each listen.