Blooming in Antarctica by Greyember is, as far as I’m concerned, the perfect definition of what Blackend Death Metal should aspire to be.

Across the three tracks on offer – Reflections, Blooming in Antarctica, and Madness– Greyember delve into such subjects as inner turmoil, insanity, and how we’re butchering the planet, and all to a musical background that is as bleak and brutal as a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

All of this is, unless I’m missing something, the work of one man, Rick Grimm, who is responsible for all the music you hear on Blooming in Antarctica, as well as the production and most of the vocals, sharing these duties with guest vocalists Nikki Harrison and Richard White, on Reflections and Blooming in Antarctica respectively.

Being a one man band is a delecate balancing act that has both its pros and its cons. There is always the chance that the artist involved can get bogged down in ego, and without having other band members to bounce idea’s off of, or to help rein them in, they go off the rails somewhat and release a substandard record.

Rick Grimm, however, does not suffer from any of this.

What he delivers is a brand of visceral blackend death metal that is as sumptuosly spectacular as it is desolate, bare, and exposed. The soundscape on offer is perfectly laid out, with roaring drums, blasting riffs, and exquisitely delivered vocal performances from all involved, bringing the stories that Rick Grimm has written in his lyrics to life, in all their tragic glory.

And these are the darkest of subject matters on offer – no princess rainbows and happy endings here – and yet Rick Grimm captures them brilliantly, freezing them in time forever in the cold heart of Antarctica.

If you love Blackend Death Metal then you need to head on over to the Greyember Bandcamp page and get yourself a copy of Blooming in Antarctica.