Click to enlarge

ATILA is yet another musical guise for 22-year-old wunderkind Miguel Béco, who is gaining notoriety for his black metal/noise project . Here, as ATILA, Béco dives into unremittingly dark electronica. Although the oppressive soundscapes bear similarities to those of ÖRÖK, across the expansive 42 minutes of V, Béco establishes ATILA as its own entity altogether. Machnik beats, mulching bass, cryogenic synth, a ritualistic pulse running through everything, sullen and somber yet paradoxically intense: V becomes a soundworld unto itself.Far too violent and claustrophobic to be classed as techno and yet much too rhythmic ‘n’ dynamic to be conventional power electronics, ATILA could be seen as the shadow self of black metal – difficult to grasp at first, yet its entrancing spell weaves into your psychic fibers. Here is the sound of the mind being absorbed into a winter long past, whispers of coldness and arrogance swirling around your conquered body, a history starting in the early forms of human life up to this silent and lonely end: this is ATILA’s V.Voice and lyrics on the track “Homem” courtesy of Ermo frontman António Costa, and with cover artwork by Matilde Viegas. ATILA will also be making a live appearance at Portugal’s esteemed Amplifest this September 19-20. Taking place in Porto at Hard Club, ATILA will perform alongside the likes of Converge, Altar of Plagues, Gnaw Their Tongues, Stephen O’Malley, Full of Hell, and Amenra among others.