Thot - Obscured by the Wind

Most of what I review and listen to on a regular basis is (obviously) metal related. However, my tastes do extend much further than the metal genre and this is one of those instances where I have stumbled upon (not via the website) a true gem in the vast expanse of music. Thot is a band hailing from Belgium that categorize themselves as "vegetal noise music". I'm not entirely sure what that means but I'd have to say they are some amalgamation of rock and industrial; what I would call post industrial or experimental death rock. They're hard to label, but that is just one of the things that is so fascinating about this relatively unknown noise duo.


Obscured by the Wind starts off with a pretty good preface of what's the come: a pseudo intro relying heavily on dissonant piano and synths backed by a solid drum beat. The first official song, "Take the Bow and Run" is a sort of post punk/death rock hybrid, constantly shifting dynamics while floating instruments weave their way in and out of the song before culminating in an upbeat shouted chorus. The structure and orchestration behind each song works really well even though it is done in a very off kilter manner. Samples permeate the album, but not in the usual song intro/outro kind of way, but as a sort of mood setter, giving the songs undeniable depth and a haunting mysticism that requires multiple listens in order to fully grasp the intricacies of their compositions.

The whole album has a kind of underlying sadness about it, which, for me anyway, adds another layer of depth to it that for better or worse actually makes you feel something when you listen to it. While the bulk of the songs are mid tempo death rock, it's the subtle moments in between the songs where you feel like a voyeur in the midst of an epic catastrophe. It's a very powerful feeling and every time I listen to it I can't help but feel a little overwhelmed by a sense of impending doom. Now that I think about it, Obscured by the Wind would be the perfect soundtrack for the apocalypse.

I'd say the band's only downfall is in their lyrics. While I haven't actually sat down and read along with them, they aren't very hard to understand while listening to the songs. It's very obvious that English is not Thot's first language, and while there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, I think the meaning behind what they're trying to say gets lost in translation at times. Wordings are a little off and phrases seem sometimes muddied. I could be wrong, though. It's possible I haven't fully absorbed their true meaning yet, and maybe if I sit down and read along with them the meaning will be clearer. But my overall impression is one of subverted metaphors.

Overall I am extremely impressed with Thot's debut record. It's one of those things where I'm certainly glad I happened upon it because I'm not sure I would've ever found out about their existence otherwise. I'm hoping more people can get into it and spread the word, because these guys definitely need to keep doing what they're doing. If any of this has sounded even somewhat appealing to you, head on over to their Bandcamp page and grab the record. It's "pay what you will" meaning you can get it for any price you desire (even free!) so you've really got nothing to lose by giving them a shot. I dare you not to have some sort of experience when you listen to the album. I don't believe it's possible not to.

8.5/10

Track Listing:
1. Eolien
2. Take a Bow and Run
3. Dancing in the Corn
4. Moved Hills (edit)
5. Spellbound Fields
6. Blue and Green (Are Melting Down in a Seed)
7. Ortie
8. Solid Insecure Flower
9. The Hour Speller
10. Obscured by the Wind

Favorite Song: Spellbound Fields