Last Friday the Spotify algorithm suggested that I listen to the new Beautiful Death album, No Grave Can Hold Me.

My listening records indicate that I've listened to Beautiful Death a few times back in 2022 and 2023, but they're not an artist that is in my regular listening rotation.

I decided to give the album a listen, unaware of the journey I was about to embark upon.

After listening through No Grave Can Hold Me a few times through, I started working my way through more of the Beautiful Death catalog.

These are the albums I've listened to so far, in order:

1. A Dream Within a Dream
2. Beautiful Death III
3. Undying
4. Finis
5. Isolation
6. Beauty & Pain: The Live Collection
7. By Still Waters
8. The Wanderer
9. In the Forest

It's now almost a week later, and I have listened to essentially nothing but Beautiful Death.

Beautiful Death's music feels like the embodiment of contrast. The simplicity of a solo acoustic guitar that the guitarist brings forth complex and layered sounds from. The black metal-esque album covers that house tracks less harsh than they'd have you believe.

It's soothing and haunting, sorrowful and joyful, despairing and hopeful with each plucked note.

I find it's easy to put on an album while I'm working and let it repeat over and over, fading to an almost subconcious level.

Lately I've been feeling like nothing that I do matters. The activities I usually enjoying doing all feel hollow and unfulfilling. This has found me spending many evenings sitting in my living room, headphones on, doing nothing but sitting and listening to Beautiful Death.

Sitting there I let the music wash over me, focusing on each note as it hangs in the air. I think about how this lone guitarist from Melbourne has crafted these songs that reverberate deep into my soul and bring me to the verge of tears.

I think about what it might be like to touch someone in that way with my own work.