Another shorter one, this review, but I feel like this one being a necessary one, because Ishimura and Centipede Abyss recently released a second album (Msster). Therefor…
Formed about fifteen years ago, Ishimura is one of the many, very many, extremely very many, outfits by Jared Moran. It would be impossible to make a list of the projects and bands he is, or was, involved with, but some names connected to the Centipede Abyss community will do just fine: Ambulacrum, Vertebrae Fetish Totem, Dandelion, Ar’lyxkq’wr, Mouth Of Cedar, Cave, Zvylpwkua, Clinical Depression, you know… He started this act together with vocalist Rob Fusco (One King Down, Most Precious Blood), but the latter left in 2024. At that moment, Ishimura was silent for more than a decade – not officially disbanded or so, but the last release was in 2013 (Eclipsing The Abyss).
After Rob left, Jared decided to take over the vocal parts as well. It meant a new start for Ishimura, which is actually named after a ‘planet cracker’, a kind of starship in the Dead Space computer game series (I had to look it up, for I do not know anything about computer games, I admit). It actually means ‘rock village’ in Japanese, by the way.
So, since Jared became part of the Centipede Abyss family, it was sort of a logic consequence that the semi-rebirth of Ishimura would proceed via this label. At this moment speaking (writing / reading), there are two mutual releases, being the 2026 full-length Msster (which will be reviewed soon), and in the run-up also an EP, called Beyond The Horizon Realized. I have to admit that this title does fit the band’s name and concept. So does the artwork: a horrific, monstrous herringbone, like floating through the vast cosmos, searching for living prey to consume. Bon appétit, my friends…
The void, the absolute point of zero; the barren vessels that seeps forth its eternal death rattle to summon unconditional Oblivion of all things…
Beyond The Horizon Realized opens with a very short untitled introduction - seventeen seconds of Ambient Noise Wall - and soon erupts like a supernova when reincarnation unleashes its sonic content. This track - and the same goes for The Vile Worms Turning Yet Again and The Salted Earth Bleeds Black Bile Again - harbors a nice balance in between complexity and nihilism, and in between chaos and structure. Indeed, a trademark of Jared’s known music(k)al talent, let’s say…
Seriously, these three compositions are extremely rich in speed-transition and texture-shifting. Slow-paced chapters easily morph into lightning-blasted outbursts, before imploding once more into a doomed passage. This happens so organically, almost unperceived, yet unconsciously observable. The better part factually is intense and up-tempo (mind: also the slower parts are of unmeasurable severity), carried out by the massive drum-blasts. Toms, cymbals, bass drums and snares get ingeniously molested in a masochistic way. It shows a craftsmanship based on many years of passionate professionalism.
The strings too are of noticeable importance, with semi-progressive and high-tech techniques, rampage-like leads, as well as thunderous and / or supportive rhythm endorsement at the background. It gives the whole a tactical dose of prominent dissonance, mocking any hint of traditional integrity - and this despite its primal execution. Though, The Salted Earth Bleeds Black Bile Again does come with a certain sense of melodicism, can you imagine?! Mind the vocals too. Impossible to be understandable, for the growling throat is maniacal, boarish, unchaste. It’s like unholy verses mercilessly wrung out of this guy’s acid-dissolved vocal cords.
Oh yes, the outro, finally, is a nice shut-off, bringing a monotonous but mesmeric mixture of hypnotic ANW and eerie Drone with a psychotic twist.
A swift errand about the production. Well, the quality of sound is quite crude and rugged; no surgically high-standard embellishment involved, just straight-forward, intolerant sonic extremism in recording and mix. But it does not bother, this begrimed sound, for it fortifies the message.
Released via digital sources, of course, as well as one compact-disc, being, once again, extremely limited; this time to only 27 (twenty-seven !) hand-numbered copies. Do not expect any reprint ever; it won’t happen. Oh yes, the aforementioned artwork was done by label’s sweetest Inentropy…
https://centipedeabyss.bandcamp.com/album/beyond-the-horizon-realized