ANTI-GOTH 252

In 2008, Set released a CDR demo entitled, “Dominus Profanum,” that, due to the limited quantity in which it was produced, initially failed to generate the interest that the recording deserved. For the initiated, however, it was immediately apparent that Set would soon be recognized as a powerful current within the U.S. Black Metal underground. Immediately upon hearing the demo, YK contacted the prolific C. Davis/Drathrul, well known for his work with bands such as Hour of 13, Anu, Profane Grace, Demoncy, and Subklinik, to name a few. To further spread the darkness evoked by the “Dominus Profanum” recording, NWN! released a cassette version of the demo. Despite the promising nature of the demo, Set would be unable to record a proper full-length until earlier this year when the band delivered its debut full-length recording, “Upheaval of Unholy Darkness.” The five-year interval between the two releases, though it left fans of the band disappointed, only sharpened the edges of Set’s sound, and the quality of this debut more than compensates for the delay in its arrival. Like Demoncy, a band with which Davis has been affiliated, Set creates an oppressive atmosphere while still maintaining a delivery that is incisive and violent—a balance rarely achieved as expertly as it is on “Upheaval of Unholy Darkness.” Set’s atmospheric sensibilities are informed, no doubt, by Davis’ noise and industrial work in Subklinik and Torturecide while Davis’ excellent songwriting and riff management skills are clear from the Metal portion of his superb and diverse résumé. The accretion of Davis’ myriad influences into a stylized yet traditional sound is impressive and culminates, here, in Set’s extraordinary debut LP.