Year: 2024
Label: Misantropia Records

Swedish depressive and suicidal black metal act Yritys are back at it with a second attempt. The debut album Delusion(s) (reviewed here) wasn’t quite my cup of tea despite having some elements I liked. Considering the album was pretty standard DSBM, and I don’t particularly like DSBM, it wasn’t a surprise the album wasn’t a hit with me.

Interestingly enough, on Apostate, the band slightly shift gears both thematically and musically, moving away from absolutely purebred DSBM. It will come as a surprise to no one that this also means I like the mini-album better than the debut because of this.

To be sure, Yritys haven’t completely changed their expression and imagery. Human Rats is a very classic DSBM track in style, with anguished howling vocals, pathetically misanthropic lyrics and plenty of melodic, somber passages of atmosphere.

But the other four tracks are slightly different. For one, the vocals are a hoarser, rawer rasp instead of the hysterical shrieks – a step towards a more typical black metal expression. The music is also somewhat more aggressive, with more genre typical tremolo picked riffs and speedy tempos. These are still tempered with even post punk styled lighter, more melodic passages, familiar from the debut album.

Musically, the result works better than the debut album. Particularly, for yours truly, the new approach to the vocals is a great improvement. But otherwise too, the increased fierceness and the more balanced division between atmosphere and black metal blasting is a step forward musically for Yritys.

The lyrical shift seems even more drastic: away from the tales of depression, failing mental health and self-indulgently wallowing in misery, towards a very vocal antitheism. Yritys take the full brunt of their misanthropy, contempt and virulent hostility and turn it towards notions of a redeeming deity (with particular focus on the judeo-christian god). The end result is that Yritys no longer negate merely personal meaning and existence, but turn it into something cosmological. A solipsistic negation of any meaning for existence on a fundamental level.

It’s not particularly intellectual. Or even intelligent: if anything, the lyrics are emotive. Their wholesale dismissal of divinity and venomous contempt for believers is entirely guttural and instinctual. In their fierce hostility, they are quite visceral and even powerful. Truly, Yritys have found a more conducive way to channel their absolute negativity.

Whilst remaining more or less within the confines of DSBM, Yritys’ attempt to broaden their horizons is a success. The steps forward aren’t massive, but significant enough for Apostate to be clearly, uncontestedly superior to the debut album.

As such, it’s fair to say that fans of the debut album will most likely dig Apostate as well. But, significantly, Apostate may well appeal to people who didn’t like Delusion(s). Give it a try either way!

Visit Yritys on Instagram