Botanist - "VI: Flora" (LP)

This is a 2014 US post-black metal album released on vinyl.
I don't know if it became popular in Japan, but it was highly praised by overseas media as “excellent!” What's more, it's surprising that it was created entirely by one person. The dreamy sound is more ethereal than aggressive. The title of the first track is “Stargazer.” What is this? Teenage angst?

But before I could dwell on that thought, the subsequent tracks featured English titles I'd never heard before... Upon investigation, it seems they are all names of plants. As I gradually unraveled the mysteries I felt, it became clear that this album was created with a distinct conceptual framework. The approach of acknowledging the grandeur of nature and acknowledging humanity's arrogance and mistakes resonates with the nature-worshiping black metal presented by bands like WITTR. This is more allegorical than philosophical, so it is similar to Light Bearer. Some media outlets describe this album as “plant black metal” (Green-BlackMetal), which is not inaccurate.

This album is highly regarded not only for its solid musicality but also for its conceptually complete nature. Conversely, simply enjoying the sound does not mean you have grasped what the band is trying to convey.

When I first heard it, I thought, “Sorry for calling it ‘middle school syndrome’...” but the final track is “...Gazing...” (from the first track, “Stargazer,” still gazing at the stars), so it feels like whispering “...Gazing...” while looking at the sky on one's deathbed, so maybe it is middle school syndrome after all.

tracklist:
1. Stargazer 03:30
2. Callistemon 04:16
3. Cinnamomum Parthenoxylon 02:38
4. Gleditsia 02:07
5. Rhizophora 03:47
6. Dianthus 03:17
7. Leucadendron Argenteum 06:09
8. Pteridophyte 03:40
9. Wisteria 04:50
10. Erythronium 02:39
11. ...Gazing... 00:54