OBSCURITIES – VOLUME II: A QUICK BEGINNING TO 2024

(Daniel Barkasi returns today with the second of his monthly NCS columns devoted to spreading the word about musical obscurities. What you’ll find below are reviews and streams of 8 records released from around the globe in January.)

To begin, thank you to all who read the first edition of this monthly column. I’m glad folks seemed to enjoy the musical expeditions of my often wacky brain. May you discover something to your liking that’ll (hopefully) give you plenty of enjoyment and respite from the madness of the everyday hustle.

This edition covers records that were released in January, which is how we’ll be covering things month-to-month. This time, we have a cornucopia of flavors to indulge; from atmospheric, epic, and relaxing, to the downright filthy. True that the first month of the calendar is typically a relatively slow month in terms of memorable releases, but this year has started off quite favorably. Plenty of under the surface delights to tear into, so let us begin faster than Jerry Seinfeld’s supposed claim of being quite fleet of foot. We choose to run!

 

Almucantarat – Weightlessness

Release Date: January 5, 2024

Deftly staying away from any typical brand of atmospheric black metal, Russia’s Almucantarat – an astronomy term meaning a “circle on the celestial sphere parallel to the horizon” – embraces a sound that fits the definition of their chosen moniker. Don’t expect tons of razor-sharp riffs and fast-paced tremolo numbers, though there are a few. Their debut album Weightlessness instead melds subtle harshness with ethereal, dreamlike keyboards to create a soothing aura that’s wholly unique.

This may be one of the most chill black metal albums to come around in quite some time, as this thing is soothing and even meditative at times. The harsh, blackened vocalizations of Mikal Fatale provide a stark contrast to Ammanas’ lush instrumentation, adding a level of rawness to the celestial nature of the compositions.

Take “Abyss Gargantua”, for instance, which boasts gothic metal stylized clean vocals amongst gorgeous atmospheres, all powered forward by thumping drums and vicious snarls. “Into the Void” may be one of the more tranquil and reflective pieces, whereas “Tethered” is somewhat heavier and visceral without losing the established thematic characteristics. Light a candle and enter with an open mind.

 

Fragments of Lost Memories – 約束

Release Date: January 5, 2024

We may delve more into this band in a future column, but the startlingly proficient and criminally underrated Fragments of Lost Memories have been churning out doses of downtrodden funeral doom like clockwork for the last couple of years. The Japanese outfit released 約束 this month, and being their fifth album in three years, they’re not a band who sit idly still. The member(s) who comprise this band are also a mystery, but whoever is part of this project, they’ve given bands like Mournful Congregation and My Dying Bride a listen or two.

The album title translates to “Promise” in English, also being the first track; a gargantuan thirty-one minute crusher that could have been an album unto itself. Persistent mammoth riffs and downtrodden organs intertwine within tempos that range from slow and heavy to anguished minimalism. Fragments of Lost Memories know how to set a mood and stick with it, to undeniable results.

True that there isn’t a whole lot of invention here, but this is colossal funeral doom in its purest form. Brandishing near flawless execution and compositions filled with intrigue, it’s easy to get lost in the downtrodden vibes presented in 約束. Fragments of Lost Memories are hopefully here to stay.

 

 

Gray State – Under the Wheels of Progress

Release Date: January 5, 2024

I love a good chunk of riffy, intense metallic hardcore. When I came across Finns Gray State and their brand new record Under the Wheels of Progress, the artwork by Jean Delville piqued my interest instantly – it being a giant wheel littered with steamrolled bodies. An apt representation of what was to come, as this is nearly thirty minutes of constant hard-hitting riffs galore with an uncontrollable rage, all while showcasing a nimble sense of dripping melody.

This is the kind of metalcore fusion that reminds of a long-time personal favorite in Maroon (don’t dare add a fucking 5, like normies do when I wear one of their shirts), as well as the underrated Belgian chaos agents Arkangel. This quintet just plain gets it. Every assault is memorable, punchy, and holds nothing back. Quick hitters like “Flames of Efficiency” are just that – a blitzing barrage of fury that stomps faces. Longer pieces like “The Death of True Love” give dabs of breathing room, including a weeping solo that oozes sweet melodicism, before mashing the listener to pieces via a wall of mid-paced riffage.

What stands out amongst the many elements that make Gray State tick is their cohesiveness, lending to their ability to craft songs of varying lengths that all brutally engage. If you’re attracted to these sorts of stylings, or even if you’re just a little curious, I implore you to give them a go. I’m willing to bet many will have a hell of a good time with this record. Meanwhile, I’m on about spin number thirty.

 

Svdestada – Candela

Release Date: January 5, 2024

Toss gritty black metal and focused crust punk into a blender, and Spain’s Svdestada most assuredly will be the result. Their third full-length Candela overflows with energetic fury, while also providing an overarching melodic sensibility. Moreover, their music builds into massive crescendos that make avoiding a fist-pumping scream-a-long nearly impossible.

Most tracks are on the shorter end of the spectrum, though there’s no loss of captivation to be found. Opener “Nudo” zips by in just over two minutes of angsty menace, motoring along comparable to frenzied crust numbers like “Cierzo” and “Efímero.” On the other side of the proverbial coin, the varied tempos of “Amargor” mix the right level of blackened guitars and passionate screams with Svdestada’s lively, punk-oriented nature.

Candela finishes with a different angle via the nearly twelve-minute title track, managing to dish out gobs of bombastic riffs and emotive songwriting that take one on quite the journey. Svdestada has a rich sound that’s as intricate as it is punchy, amounting to a damn fine record that’s easy to repeat.

 

 

Dark Oath – Ages of Man

Release Date: January 18, 2024

Most epic melodic death metal falls woefully short for these ears, overly relying on stale symphonic numbers and random odd instruments shoehorned in, resulting in a disjointed listen. Dark Oath is out to achieve the opposite of said tired acts, instead focusing on ferocious melodic death metal as the main ingredient, carefully accenting via layers of tasteful symphonics and clean guitar pieces that add to the music instead of suffocating it. Their latest Ages of Man is far and away one of the best examples of this style in recent times, reaching the lofty heights set last year by Foretoken and Aetherian.

Themed after Greek mythology’s Ages of Man as described by Hesiod’s five stages of human history – Golden, Silver, Bronze, Heroic and Iron – Dark Oath’s album of the same name is a massive tale of narrative depth to a soundtrack of fiery melodic death metal that’s incredibly addictive. Standout tracks include the magnificently crushing “Gold I (Dawn of Time)” and the soaring “Silver II (Life of Sorrow and Pain),” as well as measured entries in “Bronze I (Stolen Flame)” and mysterious cuts such as “Heroic II (Elysian Fields).”

Quite an accomplishment is Ages of Man, being an overly pleasant surprise to these ears. Dark Oath’s songwriting is detailed and meticulous, their instrumentation top notch, and vocalist Sara Leitão’s raspy, ripping snarls takes the band’s music to a new stratosphere. In a word – captivating.

 

 

Sgàile – Traverse the Bealach

Release Date: January 19, 2024

A forward-thinking post-metal project of Scotland’s Tony Dunn, Sgàile’s sophomore effort Traverse the Bealach is a mature work that’s both progressive and impactful. On display are moments of heavy galloping rhythms, tempered post-metal artistry, and a directness that demands full attention.

In Traverse the Bealach, we have another concept album – this being a story of Dunn’s making that chronicles a nomad in a post-apocalyptic Scotland. With that in mind, and the long flowing feel of the writing, this hour-long tale is best viewed as a sum of its parts instead of individual tracks. Vocally, the presentation is smooth and crooning, accentuating the heavy-yet-optimistically bright instrumentation that reminds somewhat of Saor, with whom Dunn was previously a live member.

Sgàile absolutely encompasses a niche sound that reminds of Devin Townsend in terms of eclectic muse, though more subdued in feel. Dunn definitely takes a number of chances, of which the large majority pay off handsomely. Ultimately, Traverse the Bealach is an inviting release that runs the gamut of soulful sentiment and technical proficiency.

 

 

Vemod – The Deepening

Release Date: January 19, 2024

Quite a chunk of time has passed since Norway’s mournful blackgaze act Vemod dropped their debut album Venter på stormene. Twelve years, in fact. It’s hard to encapsulate how much has happened in the world during that time, and when you listen to their long-awaited second full-length The Deepening, it’s evident that they’re expressing numerous personal experiences within their chosen medium.

Vemod have chosen to express themselves in new ways, progressing into a more diverse and cinematic approach, while not losing the constant waves of melancholy that define them. Those who desire dreary melodies and drawn-out, foggy compositions will find plenty to love in The Deepening. This is a band who have grown exponentially, not afraid to show their compositional chops via entries like the ethereal, winding yarn that is “Der guder dør” and the monumentally endearing marathon that is the title track. Dreamy post-black metal sentimentalities enrapture “True North Beckons,” no doubt harkening to elements of their hometown of Namsos, in what may be this scribe’s favorite piece here.

What this trio have evolved into over the last decade-plus has proven to be worth the wait, providing darkly profound musical tidings that grasp your ear and permeate the psyche with lush, hypnotic soundscapes. Another deeply introspective album to start the year, and I’m all for it.

 

 

The Oldest House – A Worm Through Time

Release Date: January 26, 2024

We’ll finish off with an EP whose scope feels ambitious enough to be an album, exuding enough filthy ambient sludge/doom to fill one’s plate. Being the first release of this particular one-man project, The Oldest House is the brainchild of A.M., who is part of a few other projects such as Aversio Humanitatis and Velo Misere. A Worm Through Time is a singular narrative divided into five songs of buzzing, enveloping doom that hits like a sledgehammer.

There’s an underlying staticy feel to this EP, putting forth the vision of an impending peril slowly gaining ground, with this being the grisly aural representation of said dire scenario. A Worm Through Time certainly lands on the aggressive side by way of gruesome, monolithic riffs smashing away, bathed in a sticky membrane of murky synths, formulating an atmosphere that could double as the audio accompaniment of a horror film. The guitar tone is a perfect balance of crisp and grimy, while the vocalizations – from rumbling screams, moans, chants, and everything in between – are impressive in implementation as they are in strategic placement within the music.

Just as Hasard made the most nightmarish black metal album we’ve come across in years, The Oldest House provides something similar in a totally different sonic landscape. Have I listened to this with the lights out, you ask? Nope. Give it a go, however, and clue me in on the results (good luck). Either way, A Worm Through Time leaves an impression that will most assuredly linger.