[Column] The Lovecraftian Spell

While listening to dutch black metallers Nihill (the Krach album), one of their song titles, "Mundus Subterranaeus" made me think of my thick collection of Necronomicon - the Best Weird Tales of HP Lovecraft and I dedicated an hour of my evening to one of his short stories - "The Colour out of Space". Not being a avid reader of horror literature I find Lovecraft's writing fascinating in its condemnation and escape from civil society. From reading Michel Houllebecq's book on him, or Houllebecq's love letter to Lovecraft, I know that Lovecraft himself was not fond of his own social surroundings and I can understand why. Even though I am a social person, I am not bonding mentally or spiritually with what is considered normal around me, and never have.
Some of Lovecrafts stories tell of humans abandoning civil society for netherworlds inhabited by growling beasts thriving in slimy darkness and this company they prefer to the company of the civilised. I do not prefer living in slimy dark caves to my warm home but I have been known to be too late for appointments on rainy days because I was busy saving snails and worms at risk of being flatteened on pavements of the civilized. Those little lives are important to me and the asphalt risk to their lives tell me civilisation is wrong.
Lovecraft's writing style is quite unique. His overuse of descriptive words about the "indescribable horrors" his characters encounter after dark, flows like a hypnotic mix of dark ambience music and ritualistic primitive black metal. You can listen and read with active imagination or with your thoughts turned off and you will sense the unease and/or feel at home.
- Sigurður Harðarson

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