Skepticism - Ethere (1997)^{Release ID: 1923}

Worthwhile companion to Lead and Aether with a brilliant alternate version of The March and the Stream.

Skepticism exploded (well, kind of lurched threateningly) onto the newly establishing funeral doom metal scene with their debut Stormcrowfleet. Despite its success, there still seemed to be some hesitation as to whether there was a big enough audience out there to appreciate the desolate and monumentally despondent tones that this style of music brings with it, with very few bands willing to join the likes of Skepticism, Esoteric and Thergothon on their minimalistic journeys into the abyss. Yet even if other musicians were as slow as the music itself in catching on, the Finnish members of Skepticism had not doubt about their destinies and began creating their next slab of doom immediately. However, one decision that did need to be made after the completion of Stormcrowfleet was whether or not to find a full-time bassist for their ranks. The band’s original bassist left the band (and music altogether it appears) after the Towards My End 7” back in 1992, so they’d been forced to hire a session musician for the Stormcrowfleet debut. In the end a decision was made that the bass had very little influence on their sound, since the guitars are tuned so low and the layers of keyboards give the music so much weight, so they simply removed it from their framework once and for all. It’s a decision I think more metal bands (a minority admittedly) could make as I so rarely comment on bass due to its usually inaudible presence.

With that decision made, Skepticism began working on their second album, which would be titled Lead and Aether. However, as the band were toying with the tracks to find the perfect outcome, they ended up with contrasting versions of a couple of them that they felt were worthy. Rather than choose one and ditch the other, they decided to construct a pair of thematically connected releases, both containing some of the same tracks, yet in different forms. The result was the Ethere EP, and the band would do a similar thing for their third full length some years later. Ethere only contains three tracks, yet considering it has a running time of over twenty-seven minutes, it’s a more satisfying experience than your average EP. The first two tracks (The March and the Stream and Aether) are alternate versions of tracks that would later appear on Lead and Aether, while the third and final track (Chorale) is a reimagining of a track of the same name found on the 1994 Aeothe Kaear demo. There’s no massive shift in sound between Stormcrowfleet’s grand, plodding soundscapes and the newer material, but there is unquestionably a step up in production, with far more clarity given to the recordings, as opposed to the muffled, heavily distorted wall of sound that saturated the debut. This change allows for more dynamic influences to seep into the world Skepticism, yet doesn’t negate at all from the hypnotic and awe-inspiring effect.

The March and the Stream would have to be up there with the finest examples of funeral doom ever created. It stands as the highlight of the Lead and Aether album and possibly my favourite track by this extraordinary band. Yet its first appearance was made a year earlier on Ethere, in vastly different form. The main difference is that the Ethere version has less emphasis on guitar and more on piano. The tremendously ominous scene setting keyboards and crushingly sparse percussion found in the Lead and Aether version are intact, but the lead guitars and church like organs are replaced with gorgeous piano. The effect is breathtaking and I’m hard pressed to choose between the two versions. It’s much more difficult to hear the differences in the second track Aether, with the only obvious change being the closing moments. The Ethere version fades away with acoustic guitars bringing it to a close, whereas the eventual Lead and Aether edition stops very suddenly before a disconnected piece of music closes the album. I always thought that strange jump on the full length was unnecessary and prefer Aether’s subtle finish on Ether. I recently read that The March and the Stream took form over a two-year period, yet Aether was composed start to finish within only two weeks. I won’t suggest that this explains why the former is more effective, but it’s an interesting peek into the world of Skepticism and the way their music gradually evolves.

Finally, there’s Chorale, which is possibly of most interest to Skepticism fans due to it not appearing on any other official release. I haven’t heard the original off Aeothe Kaear so I can’t compare it to the demo, but this version is a beautiful track that opens with a strangely pleasant guitar section before the typical organ accompanied, monstrous riff Skepticism sound takes over. It very much reminds me of Stormcrowfleet, particularly as the organs have so much emphasis, which I guess is unsurprising given the time of its original creation. The newer production gives that sound a whole new life though and I imagine this is a hint as to what Stormcrowfleet would have sounded like without the muffled wrapper. The track and Ethere EP close with an obvious link to the ensuing Lead and Aether, with the last few seconds containing the same organ performed piece of music that opens The Organium on that album. It’s a nice way to officially bond the two releases and is just another reason why Ethere sits side by side with Lead and Aether. If you’re a fan of Skepticism, you should not be put off by the apparent overlap of tracks and should track this EP down without question. The Ethere version of the March and the Stream is just amazing, and Chorale is also worthy for any fans of the debut. The original press was limited to 2000 copies, but Red Stream has re-released it, so it shouldn’t be too hard to get your hands on.