Depressive and uplifting; a journey of massive peaks and bottomless caves. Unreqvited’s take on post-black metal is one that paints a canvas of musical diversity; with elements of expansive post-rock, tortured depressive black metal vocals, shimmering blackgaze melodies and grandiose orchestral segments. Conceived in 2016 as a vessel for sole member 鬼’s multi-faceted creative output, Unreqvited has remained a continuously shape-shifting and stylistically wide-roaming creature throughout its short lifespan. This year, the project will see its newest iteration in the form of a full live band after years of hopeful anticipation.
I: Disquiet (2016, Prophecy Productions)
With their debut LP “Disquiet”, Unreqvited lays down the foundation for their somber, melancholic sound by using hallmark principles of black metal like torrential blast beats and tremolo sparingly. Instead, opting for emphasis on melodies and synthesizers to invoke thoughts of frozen woodlands and a troubled internal state.
II: Stars Wept to the Sea (2018, Avantgarde Music)
Sophomore LP “Stars Wept to the Sea” featured a new approach to the genre. Drifting and dreamlike with crystalline keys and soaring guitar riffs, yet scalding vocals continue to convey torture and pain. Unusual and intriguing, the music is a study in contrasts. Stars Wept is a huge step forward towards
maturity, adding tons of new ideas, sparks and personality to the Unreqvited sound. The albumʼs bright, shimmering atmosphere exudes a sense of triumph in the face of a genre often rooted in despair.
III: Mosaic I: l’amour et l’ardeur (2018, Northern Silence Productions)
Mosaic I is one of Unreqvitedʼs most ambitious efforts to date. Though only 40 minutes in length, their third LP explores far more hopeful territory, deeply rooted in post-rock and orchestral influences. Apart from the harrowing, tormented shrieking vocals, little to no black metal influences remain from their previous releases. It instead features majestic and hopeful refrains, wonderfully evocative progressions, and angelic, delicate atmospheres.
IV: Mosaic II: la déteste et la détresse (2020, Prophecy Productions)
The second part of a therapeutic experiment; “Mosaic II” contains all of the anxiety, the ire, and the despair 鬼 felt over the course of a year. This record was composed in tandem with 2018’s Mosaic I, which contained all of the joy, euphoria, and love felt over the same time period. This resulted in two highly experimental albums that completely oppose each other sonically. “Mosaic II” is yet another huge deviation in sound, demonstrating Unreqvited’s ever-changing musical spectrum. It is undoubtably Unreqvited’s darkest, most experimental release to date.
V: Empathica (2020, Prophecy Productions/Northern Silence Productions)
With their fifth full-length record, Unreqvited takes the listener on a soulful symphonic journey into the heart of winter. Empathica is a cinematic experience of melancholy and majesty, as beautifully woven layers of delicate pianos and strings accompany triumphant post-rock refrains. Ethereal clean vocal melodies soar above snow-capped mountaintops as the anguished screams howl from the deep icy valleys below. A picturesque melding of atmospheric black metal and symphonic rock for fans of both genres.
VI: Beautiful Ghosts (2021, Prophecy Productions)
Conceptually, Beautiful Ghosts is quite different from Unreqvited’s current musical repertoire. A muse was directly responsible for this record’s creation, and thus, there are heavy themes of love, passion, and devotion. 鬼’s vision for the album was to capture, and document his experience with the unique feeling of infatuation and attachment. Sonically, Beautiful Ghosts encapsulates all of the sounds that have been introduced in previous releases, as well as moves forward with brand new elements; namely, the heavy use of clean vocals. Massive anthemic refrains reminiscent of 2018’s Mosaic I are the driving force behind the record, interplaying with verse and bridge sections that vary from the simple melancholic melodies of 2016’s Disquiet to the grandiose orchestral arrangements of 2020’s Empathica. This broad range of dynamics melds together into a modern and innovative rendition of Unreqvited’s sound that is becoming increasingly difficult to categorize.