“Infernal Fractality” is the debut album from THE LAST EON, a solo project from Norway based musician Ødemark. Released on digital, CD and 12″ LP vinyl format by Soulseller Records in November of 2023, THE LAST EON showcases a soaringly dynamic variation of Industrial / Electronic based Black Metal that utilizes a heavy Hardcore / Hardstyle type element to its music that few bands in the genre have ever attempted. Industrial Black Metal is nothing particularly new, with MYSTICUM incorporating heavy electronic elements into their 1996 full-length “In The Streams Of Inferno”, with many other bands in both Death Metal and Black Metal following in accordance to varying degree, such as THORNS, FELDGRAU, ANAAL NATHRAKH and ABORYM. Death Industrial and Power Electronics, while not Heavy Metal in its approach and delivery, have also been incorporated into both Death Metal and Black Metal to some degree by various other bands. However, it is much more infrequent that elements of Hardcore, Hardstyle and different variations of conventional electronic music get worked into Black Metal beyond a simple trace element. By incorporating these electronic elements into Black Metal, it creates a completely wide-open tonal palette that goes against the conventional ethos of the genre. From minimalistic low-fi treble-heavy music, it becomes an evolved form of pulsing super-dynamic music with a heavily charged bass range. One would think that this breaks all ‘rules’ of the traditional genre game. And “Infernal Fractality” does break the rules. And it does a good job while doing it. Starting with ‘The Black Legion’, right away the listener should hear this isn’t a typical Black Metal album. The presence of the very low-end dominant digital bass drum strikes immediately and the grinding whirl of industrial menacing ambience begins to build alongside chugging palm-muted guitars. Ødemark lets out a raging scream and the song starts proper. The fusion of grinding guitars, double-bass drums from a conventional drum kit, combined with keyboards and the strobing pulse of the digital bass drum on the downbeats creates a massively full and saturated sound. The distribution between Black Metal and electronic elements is well balanced and at no point does it feel that one overtakes the other but both work in conjunction and sync together perfectly. ‘Asthetamine’ is another track that uses a steady pounding digital strobing bass drum pulse throughout most of the song, giving it a sense of frantic chaotic energy. ‘The Birth Of No-One’ leans more into a primarily Black Metal forward element, utilizing the electronics during the chorus in both the drums and a synthesizer melody to bring an extreme sonic highlighting to the composition. ‘Kosmicalypse’ and ‘DMT – Infernal Fractality’ are both strong fusions of both styles, with elements seamlessly integrating with one another throughout the track, playing like a hyper industrialized version of a cosmic 1349. ‘Cosmos’ is an ethereal instrumental track loaded down with searing guitar riffs, pounding electronic downbeats, and unsettling ambient textures. Both ‘0’ and the closer, ‘Thus Spoke Light’, continue with the sonic themes established more towards the beginning of the album, with a slight bit more emphasis on guitar riffing. Overall, THE LAST EON pushes past the concept of Industrial Black Metal on “Infernal Fractality” and ventures into often unexplored territory to great result. Rather than add basic elements, THE LAST EON embrace the concept of electronic music completely, fusing it to a foundational core of Black Metal to a create a modernized hybrid that’s definitely worth checking out. For more information on THE LAST EON, see www.facebook.com/thelasteon.official and for more information on Soulseller Records, check out www.facebook.com/soulsellerrecords.