KAATAYRA

One of the most rewarding things about reviewing is having someone suggest something off the back of a review I've written, as it not only shows someone appreciates what I've written, but I'm often introduced to something I might not otherwise have discovered. In this case, my review of Maladie's Symptoms III led someone to suggest I listen to Kaatayra's latest (and possibly last) album, Inpariquipê. I'd never heard of this one-man Brazilian outfit, but was so enamoured by what I heard that I had to hear more. Kaatayra is a quite unique atmospheric black metal group, with each of its releases being a fusion of black metal and traditional Brazilian music. The balance between these two musical poles has swayed from release to release, making each quite different. While Inpariquipê remains rooted in black metal composition, it's a minimal and acoustic affair that contains barely any evidence of the usual black metal tropes. Even the blast beats sound as if they're traditional Brazilian percussion instruments played at speed. There are some harsh vocals, but they're sparse, and not at all intrusive.

In fact, sparse describes the music well. As much as Caio Lemos, the musician behind Kaatayra, must have black metal influences, I have to wonder how much he must be familiar with composers such as Steve Reich, Arvo Pärt and Philip Glass, as this is minimalist black metal that is more atmospheric than pretty much any other band I've heard described as atmospheric black metal. There are quite beautiful ambient passages, and what I assume are field recordings, interspersed with the most delicate acoustic instrumentation, and layered with heavier elements that, by virtue of being acoustic, are never overbearing lay or overwhelmingly heavy, the way black metal often can be (at least, to my ears). Quite simply, I find Inpariquipê beautiful. In this respect, the cover art is a perfect representation of the contents. It's possibly as atypical of black metal artwork as you could find.

Lemos apparently began Kaatayra to aid his mental health, and with that in mind it's easy to understand why Inpariquipê has been described as Kaatayra's swan song. Lemos has stated that he had a feeling Inpariquipê would be the final Kaatayra album while he was composing and recording it, and the album has transcendent and ascendant qualities, and a sense of positivity and triumph. If Kaatayra was borne out of cathartic necessity, it appears to have been efficacious. Lemos has since said that he doesn't know if it will actually be the last Kaatayra album he makes, but I suspect that unless he needs to revisit it, he will not. Lemo has at least two other creative outlets I'm now aware of, and my guess is these will take precedence. Kaatayra has done what it set out to do. If this is the final album, it's a magnificent farewell, and I'm extraordinarily glad I was recommended it.