Home Reviews The Magician Reversed – Arcana:Death – Review

    The Magician Reversed – Arcana:Death – Review

    Occult funeral death doom from Colombus, Ohio's The Magician Reversed

    The Magician Reversed Nick Bain Pondering in a Chair in a Room with Chipped Paint

    FOLLOW DISCIPLINE MAG
    🙏🏼

    Hailing from Colombus, Ohio, The Magician Reversed is the solo project of one Nick Bain. Titled Arcana:Death, this latest offering from The Magician Reversed is a multi-genre exploration into deep heaviness which veers off into the occasional sidetrack of experimentation. 

    Released on the winter solstice of 21 December, 2022, the themes of the album centre around the occult and horror. The timing of its release being more than fitting, as the album’s timing and themes come to align, with the cold and darkness of the season nicely complementing the eerie and unsettling atmosphere of the album.

    One of the strengths of this album is the level of musicianship and versatility demonstrated by The Magician Reversed. The blend of death doom, funeral doom metal and black metal tendencies is seamless, creating a unique and powerful sound. Ultimately, this shit is slow, heavy, and all encompassing, making Arcana: Death an immersive listening experience. 

    Thematically, Arcana: Death is a dark and brooding exploration of the occult and horror. The lyrics on this album are especially noteworthy, as they are well written and deep, touching upon themes of death, decay, and the end of the world. It’s a journey into the unknown and Bain’s conceptual vision is well conveyed through the musical delivery, and clarity of production.

    Compared to the previous album by The Magician Reversed, And Deeper Still (reviewed at the link), this is a far more succinct affair. The previous record’s runtime of >100 minutes was a little bit much for even a funeral doom record without obvious thematic justification (and yes, that album length critique stands even for Bell Witch’s Mirror Reaper). On Arcana:Death, its roughly 50 minute runtime makes for a more digestible feat. 

    From a sonic perspective, Arcana: Death is a crushingly heavy and intense album. Bain masterfully blends traditional metal sounds with experimental elements, creating a sound that is both familiar and fresh. Track 2, “The Mist”, incorporates a big atmosphere and multi-instrumentation with deep and nasty riffs. It pulls the listener in with an equal measure of slow churning heaviness and immediacy, before spitting you out with chugging riffs and blackened shrieks. Track 4, “The Madness”, provides a sense of atmospheric depth alongside crushing heaviness. 

    Overall, Arcana: Death is an impressive and accomplished work from The Magician Reversed. The showcasing of Bain’s musicianship and versatility has been well executed, and the themes of the album are both eerie and thought-provoking. This album will likely appeal to both metal fans and fans of experimental music and acts as a solid entry point to the nature of this multi-dimensional work.

    The Magician Reversed Arcana:Death Album Review

    While you’re here…

    Discipline Mag is a labour of love. It’s a publication that comes from both creative ingenuity and pure passion. And importantly, it requires a phenomenal amount of work. From writing, delegating, editing, website building/maintenance, design, endless copy… not to mention the overheads for keeping the website alive and running.

    If you see the value in content like this, and you want the underground to survive and prosper, then please consider becoming a member of the Discipline Mag Patreon.
    Support Discipline Mag on Patreon by following the link in this photoOr alternatively, consider placing a donation to the publication via PayPal. No amount is too small, and every little bit helps!

    Donate to Discipline Mag on PayPal by following the link in this photoIf you are unable to contribute financially, please support this tireless work by FOLLOWING DISCIPLINE MAG ON SOCIAL MEDIA.

    Previous articleAmorous Sickness: Our Decay “Time Will Eat Its Tail”
    Next articleMAYHEM Live At The Croxton Bandroom Melbourne 2023 Photo Gallery
    The founder and creator of Discipline Mag, Daniel has been an ardent follower of music subculture for as long as he can remember. The combination of this interest with many years spent abroad confirmed the necessity of Discipline Mag as a vehicle to tell stories from the underground.