Starting with the benevolent crunchy feedback-driven opener "The Immortal Ascended", the album as a whole is not as upfront an experience as these opening minutes may suggest. The body of the album is largely composed of, dare I say, almost non-existent dronescapes - not to say that the album isn't an endearing listen. The sheer electricity that eminates from the drones they've recorded is, to some extent, heart-warmingly subtle. Like all successful minimalism, the group gradually (slowly but surely) amplify, subtract, add and remove the tiniest of details over the course of the record - even popping a few cheeky bellrings here and there to delightful response. I'm concerned as to whether I'm meant to be terrified by their blank expressionless pieces (this mild concern brought on by track titles such as "Skulls Flapping in Black Winds of Insect Agony") because at times, especially on "Main" and the gargantuan "Because I Have a Black Heart", there's an impressive but inexplicable sense of odd homeliness.
The track "Monsoon Prayer" slightly defies this feeling however; in particular a very sparse, worrying, reverb-crafted track. There is a moment partway through the gentle structure where a clanging guitar strike disrupts the peace, to an expectedly alarming effect - for you see this albums demands concentration in order to experience its strengths properly (grudgingly, the trance-like effect sent me to sleep first time round). "Skulls Flapping..." is a bit of an odd track too - at only 2 minutes, 38 seconds, and not to say that it isn't any good, it unfortunately does feel like a mere stepping stone in the tracklist (one I think with their skill and attention to detail they've already demonstrated could easily have been developed into something more fuller or bombastic).
The two closers are the real 'black heart' and soul of the record, saving the most engrossing and exempliary avenues for last. This is where Nackt Insecten in their conceptually experimental direction get their chance to shine. "Under Silent Wings" is a fully realised source of angst, with its grungier elements and vicious sword-slashing samples, whilst "Because I have a Black Heart" has a quality build-up section, the bass subconsciously becoming ever more and more distorted. The track duration of the latter, over 19 minutes, may cause some readers to groan - particularly as it could indeed be considered a drone/ambient release - but I can trustfully commit to the opinion that "Black Heart" needs this room to work. The immense length liberties the listener with a great opportunity to reflect and react to the dominant feelings of confusion at work.
Do I sound pretentious for reviewing essentially feedback loops like it was Nirvana's "In Utero" or something? I'd like to hope not, because I genuinely feel that this record has more to offer listeners, artistically and spiritually, than appears on the surface. Like abstract literature, this sort of music is exactly what one makes of it or decides to interpret. The title "Descent" at first made my heart sink, to maybe envision that this album documented the feelings of dread and depravity one feels in an addiction or a lack of sanity, but now after listening to the album a number of times, the title probably mystifies me more than anything else. There is a lot of artistic credibility (specifically) in this album that forces me to want to revisit and immerse myself in this seemingly passionless universe - because it is I, the listener, who invents the passion when experiencing it.
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The Nackt Insecten myspace page (where they list Chou Pahrot and Philip K Dick as their influences; wahey!):
http://www.myspace.com/nacktinsecten
Link to buy "Descent" from Kovorox Sound for no more than £5:
http://www.kovoroxsound.com/NACKTINSECTENDESCENT.htm
Nackt Insecten live on the Glasgow tube!:
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