Album Review: Black Table – ‘SENTINEL’

Like many metalheads, I can’t get enough of the new four-song EP from New Jersey/New York experimental thrashers Black Table. Fronted by Mers Sumida, who, when she’s not giving her male counterparts a run for their money with her hauntingly hellish, scream-o vocals, is a student working toward a degree in cultural anthropology. Most notably, guitarist Ryan Fleming and drummer Michael Kadnar were in New Jersey metal band Randall Flagg. Black Table’s bass player, Matt Mellon, was a founding member of spazzy jazz metal outfit, Mabus.

The first song on the EP, Heist, was originally released as a single last year, to quiet, but positive reception. Track three, To Tear Down, is a showcase for Mellon’s frenetic bass lines, and are a prelude to the rest of the tracks progressive, black metal riffs. It’s a fluid effort, especially when it comes to the epically ambitious 8+ minute title track, which according to Mers’ was written with “landscapes and moods in mind”, and Sumida’s vocals ride along seamlessly with each of the EP’s four exquisitely arranged, deeply visual tracks.

Sentinel leaves you feeling a bit hollow inside when it’s over, but not empty. And that’s because the four members of Black Table are able to make music that creates an immediate, emotional connection. Even if it’s a connection to a pathway to one of the darker corners of your mind.

In an interview with Decibel Magazine in early 2013, when asked what the message was behind Sentinel, Mers pointed to her love of mythology, historical events, and science, as well as the human relationship to nature and our interaction as organisms. Many of Mers’ driving forces, specifically our natural surroundings, and we intermingle together, are key concepts in Black Metal. But there is a specific story behind the EP. As one of the key songwriters of Black Table, Mers says Sentinel is the story of Joan of Arc. The bane of Christianity’s attempt to progress, and a martyr who claimed she had been chosen to guide the French to victory during the 100 Years War. If you paid attention in History class, you know how the 19-year-old “heretic” met her end. And now that you know that, it might be impossible to not hear Arc’s battle cry, or horrifying last moments, in Mers’ vocalizations.

The band is already throwing around the idea of doing a full-length concept record, and considering the thought process that went into Sentinel, it isn’t surprising. Also not surprising is the fact that the band’s best-selling piece of merch is a kit containing a 20-minute recording of ambient guitars, distorted drums and bass, a mirror, a candle, incense and a scroll with a spell on it that could reveal a past life. Trippy. And just like that, in a mere 25 minutes, Black Table has created a fury-fueled soundtrack for such a journey. All you have to do is just take it, Jack.

Black Table is currently streaming Sentinel over at their Bandcamp page. They also released a limited-edition run of Sentinel on white vinyl (100 copies). After one listen, you’ll be hard pressed to shake the feeling that you’ve just been running through the forest from a serial killer you can’t see. At least that’s the movie that was playing in my head while Sentinel was blasting away in my ears.