Set in the 1990s, it is the story of three twenty-something women who venture into the woods to shoot a demo tape for their black metal band.
I must start my review of “Invoking Yell” by acknowledging straight out of the gate that I am not typically a fan of the found footage horror sub-genre. I’ve seen some of what most would call the “essentials” and have managed to enjoy them, but beyond the absolute horror and dread that was “The Blair Witch Project” and the intense thrill ride of “Cloverfield,” I seldom experience a found footage endeavor that leaves me truly fulfilled by the time it ends.
So why, reader, have I chosen this film when given the opportunity to review a lower-budget indie flick? There are two reasons.
The first is that, while I’m not always fond of this film genre, I have been quite fond of the metal genre since my earliest teen years. While the last decade has seen my fondness within the genre gravitate more toward the industrial sounds of Nine Inch Nails, Marilyn Manson, Chelsea Wolfe, Darkher, Ministry, etc., there was once a time when the melodies of Dimmu Borgir, Burzum, Cradle of Filth, King Diamond, and so many other black metal groups filled my heart with joy. The dramatic and beautiful theatrics, the Satanic imagery, and the harsh yet beautifully haunting melodies all drew me into a fascinating world where I listened to the music, played in the bands (yes, I was once a metal vocalist and sometimes rhythm guitarist), and still credit it today for many of the ideologies I chose to explore and maintain in modern times.
The second draw was the production company and distributor Welcome Villain, who wowed me when they cut their teeth with “Malum,” a fun and chilling remake of the cult horror hit “Last Shift.” Further, it caught my attention when they picked up a film I was smitten by at a horror film festival, the found footage yoga film “Mind Body Spirit.” Given that they saw fit to release one of the few films in this sub-genre that genuinely impressed me, I was immediately intrigued by “Invoking Yell” when the trailer was released.
A Chilean found footage film directed with great precision and passion by Patricio Valladares, “Invoking Yell” opens with text over a black screen that takes us back to the ’90s, when Black Metal was rising into somewhat more of a mainstream genre, causing a flock of musicians within the genre to look for ways to sophisticate its proposal in terms of experimentation to attain more reach and international notoriety. While most focused on the music, there were musicians associated with the genre who took to more extreme measures for attention, burning historical buildings and churches, some going as far as to commit murder, one of these latter cases being the basis for “Invoking Yell.”
Immediately, we’re introduced to Tania (Macarena Carrere), Andrea (María Jesús Marcone), and Ruth (Andrea Ozuljevich), a trio of girls setting out to record a demo for their “Black Metal” band Invoking Yell, though Black Metal is a label that one will come out to reject later on, an early indicator that our characters are seeking something beyond the usual. In fact, Andrea aims to use psychophonies, known to some as EVP, a process that records spirits on various devices, to add something new and never before explored in music. Andrea believes that to capture the true spirit of Black Metal, one must perfectly and truthfully portray agony and suffering.
“Invoking Yell” is a slow burn found footage descent into black metal hell. While nearly the entire first hour doesn’t show much in terms of horror, opting instead to follow the trio and witness their various conversations with one another truly starts to reveal who they are and what their motives may be. It’s a tactic that will turn off any viewers looking for blood and cheap scares, but the payoff is truly chaotic and horrific for those who care to stick around. The character development makes the film, and it’s precisely because of the impeccable execution of developing these characters into what feels like real people that the horror of the finale is so effective despite its short life.
The girls make up the entirety of the nearly ninety-minute runtime, and each brings genuine life to their characters. One of the many issues I find within the found footage genre is that the acting typically fails to seem natural, and so I never connect with the illusion, but just a few minutes with “Invoking Yell” might actually have you believing that you’re watching a VHS recording because the performances are as natural as they come. Even if the horror isn’t overtly present throughout, the performances regularly hint at something more to come, creating an unnerving sense of unease even while there’s little happening on screen.
Another strong element that really sells the film is Vittorio Farfan’s immaculate cinematography. While watching, I remarked on more than one occasion that it felt like this was shot on actual VHS, and I would be amazed to find out that the footage was only a replication of the time period, but a quick IMDb search made it clear that that’s precisely what happened. From the perfectly timed zooms to the interchangeable focus reminiscent of ’90s recording devices, the filmmakers do a fantastic job making this feel like something that was pulled straight from the decade in which it takes place.
Is “Invoking Yell” for everybody? More than likely not. Slow burns are already divisive, and I have trouble believing that casual horror fans and gore hounds will take to this one.
As for the rest, I hope they’ll stick around for the ride because exceptional direction from Vardes, cinematography from Farfan, and strong performances from Carrere, Marcone, and Ozuljevich make “Invoking Yell” a special and unique little piece of indie filmmaking that deserves to sit among the very best of the found footage genre.
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