Though Averse Sefira's sound is unremitting, their methods are deceptively simple. Most of their riffs are short, aggressive bursts, generally gathered in pairs or triplets and repeated many more times than is the norm, even for black metal. These bursts are accentuated and adrenalized by flurries of extremely quick snare blasts, and the individual riffs are linked by a great variety of fills by the impressively dexterous drummer, Marcus "The Carcass". The end result is a highly visual experience, the pendulum-like alternating of riffs giving the music a symmetrical feel, each melody tracing out lines in red and amber, changing course on each drum fill to depict complex, geometrically perfect symbols. As I become more and more lost in repetitive hypnosis, the shapes burst into the foreground before spinning and spiraling into the void like some kind of Satanic screensaver; the appropriately-named "Helix in Audience" is the best example of this bizarre and enthralling effect.

I do occasionally hear dissenting voices that pour scorn upon the work of Averse Sefira, citing the lameness of these miniature melodies, and indeed the crystal clear production of _Tetragrammatical Astygmata_ may tempt the listener to take a more critical stance than he/she would for the obscure, muffled sounds of Darkthrone's _Transilvanian Hunger_ and similarly misty expressions. But even though an impartial dissection of the components may not wield much of interest, the effect of the whole is impressive. The album is best listened to in a relaxed state of mind, when you can disconnect from your surroundings and be swept up in the eternal vortex that the band so vividly creates -- when I play it loud through headphones on the train, coming home from an exhausting day at the office, I find myself completely lost to the living. Indeed, _Tetragrammatical Astygmata_ dominates the senses to an almost hazardous degree, making it impossible to work to and perilous to drive to. Be warned -- you might want to keep this one at home.