OBSCURITIES — VOLUME IX: ENDLESS SUMMER

(A festival, a move between towns, and a hurricane have slowed but not stalled Daniel Barkasi‘s preparation of monthly album reviews, and today he rejoins us with a selection of eight recommended albums that saw the light of day in August.)

This is the summer that doesn’t end. Yes, it goes on and on, my friend. Yeah, I’m making my own version of the song from Lamb Chop. If you don’t know the one, I weep for your childhood, but also give a nod to your sanity. The song doesn’t end, after all. Here in the swamp that is Florida, Summer doesn’t really end a whole lot. Maybe that’s why I listen to The Midnight so much – their album Endless Summer is where the title of this column is coming from, after all. We’re not here to speak about synthwave – though that’s a subject that this guy could go on about in perpetuity.

I’m writing this in late-September due to a few reasons. One, the ProgPower USA festival put a hamper in my writing time, but was an absolute blast. A call-out to a festival with mostly clean singing, here? In all seriousness, if the styles of music on offer meet your taste, it’s a fest that is absolutely worth the time to take in. The wife and myself have attended every edition since 2014, and the special performance of Jon Olivia playing Savatage’s Streets in its entirety that first time will always be one of the best concert moments we’ll ever have. This year had a lot of fantastic performances, including a rare appearance by Dream Evil and the stellar and drastically underrated Disillusion. A class festival run by class people that isn’t easily comparable to any other metal festival in the world.

We’re also finally completed a big move that took us to… a slightly different part of Florida. More land, though, which will be great for our armada of animals. Not long after, a bloody hurricane just swept through that has left horrifying devastation throughout the Southeast US. Thankfully, we came out relatively unscathed, other than some power loss. Many others weren’t so lucky, and my heart goes out to the many who lost everything.

In many ways, this column represents a transition of many things – seasons, dwellings, sanity, and an overflowing load of albums coming in the months ahead. Overlook August at your peril, however. We’ve got a disgustingly good slab of doom, a cornucopia of black metal, mind-altering death metal, and the usual dose of madness and annoying references. For the three of you still here, your patience shall be rewarded, or something.

 

Mourners Lament – A Grey Farewell

Release Date: August 2, 2024

Atmospheric doom has taken these ears on many journeys. Always on the lookout for the next very slow fix, Chile’s Mourners Lament ticks all the desired downtrodden boxes. The death/doom act has been active since 2004, though in those 20 years new music has been released in a spread-out timeframe. Their first full-length We All Be Given dropped in 2016, with an EP in 2022 the only release in between that and their second album A Grey Farewell. Coming from Personal Records – owned by Majestic Downfall’s resident genius Jacobo Córdova – only the top tier of acts is expected, especially within the realm of all things doom.

Those presumptions have been unsurprisingly exceeded, though perhaps more so than even this writer’s lofty standards. Mourners Lament possess the desirable skill of blending the atmospheric with the gargantuan; a sound profile that crushes with the heaviest in the genre while offering a deft touch of mournful expressiveness.

Entries such as “The Clear Distance” weave crunchy, ground-shaking riffs with intricate melodicism throughout. Vocal transitions between Alfredo Pérez’s deep growls rumble forward to add grit and weightiness, whereas his stinging clean voicings are smooth as silk, reminiscent of Novembre’s Carmelo Orlando. Opener “Towards Abandonment” connects with bruising gut punches to the level of Shape of Despair’s proficiency, enhanced by a constant dynamism that elevates Mourners Lament to comparisons with heavyweights such as Enshine.  Progressive, soul-draining moments remind of latter day Novembre in the unpredictable nature of compositions like  “Changes” and “In a White Storm.”

A Grey Farewell is the exact opposite of sparse, dispensing over an hour of hazy, malevolent doom. Fans of both the heavier and serene varieties of the genre will find plenty to embrace with Mourners Lament’s latest; a harrowing and disconsolate undertaking that leaves the listener battered and emotionally broken, yet eager for another spin.

 

 

Gråt Strigoi – The Prophetic Silence

Release Date: August 9, 2024

There are times when the desire to immerse into music that’s incessantly abrasive is difficult to deny. Raw, grotesque, and noisy is a sonic itch that requires a full-on scratching once in a while for these ears. An admittedly difficult task, as it takes a band and/or record who hit just the right note. With Scotland’s Gråt Strigoi, we have an act who have whipped up the ideal recipe of noise, tarry sludge, and punk-inspired yet perilous black metal that tears away with zero inhibitions.

Being the band’s fourth full-length to date, The Prophetic Silence is a violent force that holds nothing to the imagination. “Remembrance” flows with ample parts ripping black metal and grim doom; unhinged and unabated complete with a fuzzy wrapping and gobs of atmosphere. Josh Brown‘s instrumental prowess is obvious, but more than that, his keen sense to zig when one would anticipate him to zag is delightful, giving the compositions an entrancing unpredictability. Mind-bending pieces such as the chaotic drone aesthetic of “The Sacrifice” cut deep via menacing lead work and riffs that are utterly vile. That guitar tone is gripping and memorable, being one of the most fitting and outright nasty we’ve experienced this year.

Pieces like “Upon the Darkest Entry, We Dream” claw ever deeper with massive riffs and mangled twists. Vocalist Kieran Gilroy‘s blood-curdling barks and screams slice to the bone, emitting guttural angst and dreary sorrow, ultimately being the element to push The Prophetic Silence to its most fearsome. The closing entry “For the Blood Made Ruins” is a whopping nearly 22-minute tale that showcases the band’s ambition and keen knack for songwriting, rounding out to be a powerful piece that slowly moves into a haunting yet beautiful conclusion of electronics and singing birds.

Gråt Strigoi have assembled their most immersive record yet in The Prophetic Silence. The duo have never been more difficult to pin down stylistically, and these fluctuations are the key element that makes this album defiantly stand out. There’s plenty to unearth here, and those who wish for thoughtful music that’s equally turbulent will have plenty to indulge in.

 

 

Viacrucis – Melhorament

Release Date: August 9, 2024

For an injection of blackened death metal with a sizable scope and sharpened edges, let us introduce you to Quebec’s Viacrucis. A relatively young act, Mathieu Garon‘s solo project is on album number two with Melhorament since forming in 2022. Focusing thematically on the Cathar massacre in the 13th century, the record is filled with historical intrigue portrayed via blistering riff-driven black/death metal, equating to a cerebral endeavor devoid of mercy

Viacrucis wastes no time in assaulting the eardrums with relentless tremolos and thumping rhythms in the form of “Lo Boier,” effectively setting tonal expectations for the entirety of Melhorament. “Trobar” begins with a subdued build that ramps up in bursts, pulling the reins back at the right times, cultivating swaths of tension. The culminating moments of explosiveness pay off immensely in what is a song bursting with creativity. Melody-filled melancholic moments meet unabridged fury on pieces like “Oratio,” while the finale “Consolament” overflows with riffage to be the most caustic song on offer.

Despite the songs being on the lengthy side, Melhorament is a tight and compact package that rattles the listener for around 35 minutes and briskly moves on. The attention to detail in the historical themes add depth, while musically Viacrucis provide a top-tier representation of their chosen style with numerous variations that elevate the album well above the standard genre fare.

 

 

Dawn Treader – Bloom & Decay

Release Date: August 23, 2024

Black metal with the ability to reach a deep emotive space can be a tough find. Alcest’s ethereal soundscapes absolutely do, though these days they’re more towards the shoegaze spectrum. Afsky is the top draw for black metal that’s both atmospheric, icy, and overflowing with unfiltered despair. Then we happened upon Dawn Treader and the project’s second full-length Bloom & Decay. Before us is a release soaked in atmosphere both bright and cloudy, with poignant songwriting and the right dosage of post-black harsh nuance to neatly stitch everything together.

Note that approximately 23 of the album’s 53 minutes are instrumental, so there are large segments sans vocals. The way Bloom & Decay flows makes this a seamless experience, as one is quickly immersed within the lush and cutting aura that Dawn Treader so craftily creates. “Sunchaser” serenades and sets up what will follow via gorgeous tremolos and sunny soundscapes, containing a dosage of crunch for good measure. This instrumental piece grabs hold and doesn’t relent.

The successive track “Idolator” adds a gruff, deep growling vocal accompaniment to the slick blackened onslaught, along with some melodic death inspired harmonies. Dawn Treader’s music contains a deep cohesion, to which all the credit needs to go to the single person behind the project, Ross Connell. Solo works are more and more common these days, and the extremely high level of talent required to execute an album as refined as Bloom & Decay always impresses.

“Sky Burial” takes on a darker and more morose tone, further slipping into a depressive mood as the song progresses. The usage of soothing choral-style vocals adds more than one would surmise, showing the detailed approach taken to compose this and the album as a whole. Instrumentals such as “The Last Empire” add sound bites to call attention to the horrors of genocide. Fittingly, “Recusant” follows – one of the more aggressive cuts from Bloom & Decay, especially in the first half before swelling into waves of melody and post-rock inspired guitar work.

The title track brings proceedings to a closing crescendo that’s the musical equivalent of the warmth of the sun splashing your face while slowly fading during a beautiful sunset. Bloom & Decay explores the wide range of what it is to be human; the euphoric highs to the damning lows, and everything in the middle that make life the unique experience that it is. We’re grateful to have experienced Dawn Treader’s most impactful musical exhibition to date, and sincerely hope you find all the unfettered soul within it that I did.

 

 

Hāg – Over stormskapte fjell

Release Date: August 30, 2024

Focusing on the most primal elements of what makes great black metal is the impetus of Hāg’s approach, and thus far, the results have produced frigid and meticulous compositions that hit just right. Second album Over stormskapte fjell is their latest endeavor, itself being a mighty, organic, and definitive example of guitar-driven black metal that not enough are crafting in this to-the-point manner.

The project’s style reminds of German act Nimbifer in their similarly organic and stinging audio profile, though opting for nature-centric philosophical themes instead of medieval yarns. Compositionally, each of the four main tracks (there’s an instrumental in the middle) takes on an identity of its own, while staying true to a riffy and melodic maze of tremolo-heavy, gritty tracks.

“En sorgfull vind blåser rundt gravhaugene” frenetically whips about, dishing out multiple riffs throughout a mature, progressing song structure. Momentum slowly builds to several key segments that both energize and sober the listener simultaneously, melded with coarse growls that add an urgently dire tonality.

The pace is turned up a few notches within “Om vinteren banker tankene som hagl” while being balanced out by pumping the brakes the right amount to give an air of uncertain dread. The aforementioned instrumental track serves as a brief reprise before launching into galloping rhythms, while concurrently offering a restrained yet crunchy slice of second-wave ambience. Closer “En siste solnedgang over skogen” demonstrates a somber, reflective expedition that ends Over stormskapte fjell in a thoughtful way.

Hāg deliver a black metal creation that’s bold in thematic scope, overflowing with substance, and presented in as harsh of a stylization as a fan of robust and focused black metal will highly appreciate. Over stormskapte fjell leaves an indelible mark upon all who let it, ultimately coming together as an album that asserts upon every small detail.

 

 

Modern Rites – Endless

Release Date: August 30, 2024

The mysterious being known as Berg in his stunning main band Aara is quickly becoming one of the more prolific creators in the black metal scene, alongside the mighty Noise. In addition to the aforementioned powerhouse, he also is the guitarist for the maniacal Taubrą, and in this particular subject, one half of the quickly rising Modern Rites under the moniker of Katalyst, along with Jonny Warren (aka Archytekt for this project).

Differing from the duo’s other projects, Modern Rites rounds out to be a more melody-driven characterization of black metal, while also boasting a premeditated menacing aura that swarms with deadly focus. Endless exemplifies these principles, setting the table via the infectious title track and the explosive “Lost Lineage.” There are tidbits of death metal sprinkled into the muted crunchiness, while a foggy aura and brisk pacing embrace a shrouded side of the blackened arts.

Those wishing for quick and bombastic melodies wrapped in an inauspicious cloak will find what they desire in “Veil of Opulence,” “For Nothing,” and “Autonomy.” Conversely, “Becoming” takes a turn in a heavier, droning direction where Blut Aus Nord occasionally resides, with the finale “Philosophenweg” turning ever slightly in a more experimental, doom-laden fashion.

Modern Rites is a band who should be on the lips of anybody who even somewhat enjoys black metal with loads of spice, as well as those keen on excellently executed material that’s as heavy as it is atmospheric. Balance and songwriting intuition are immeasurably important in music such as this, and Endless has that in spades. Simpler than that, this is an album that is such an enjoyable listen that it’s easy to repeat numerous times in succession and still want more. Now, we wait for the new Aara while spinning this on the regular.

 

 

Other World – Tenebrous

Release Date: August 30, 2024

The US has been churning out quality black metal for some time now, and there are loads of examples – including Panopticon, Blackbraid, Wayfarer, Bull of Apis, Bull of Bronze, Obsequiae, etc.; there’s a litany of quality and stylistic differentiation. A name we don’t always hear is Other World, and maybe that’s been because the project has been relatively quiet since the debut and only album thus far in 2015’s Syncretism of Gods in Men. It’s also admittedly rough around the edges and not as fully realized as these ears would have hoped. Out of nowhere, Other World have delightfully found their niche with the meticulous exposition that is Tenebrous.

Other World has evolved greatly, from a solo project of Christopher A. Garcia to a full four-piece. When the build of a project changes this much, it’s difficult to predict how it’ll turn out. Fortunately, the resulting Tenebrous exceeds expectation, producing 37-some-odd minutes of scalding atmospheric black metal that leans into a few death metal principles, making it one of the heftiest albums of this proclivity released in 2024. Immediately, the power and scale of the record are of lofty heights when “From Innocence” digs its claws in deep. Extremely thick and pounding, but dirtied up with a discordant moodiness which defines the rich sound that Other World have developed. 

Selections such as “Arid Dawn” choose a deliberately slow build before dragging one violently through rough sonic landscapes. The tone is nearly always sinister in the best way; “Ash, Teeth & Bone” exemplifies these aspects both in title and in furious decimation via a maze of Garcia’s ripping guitars and Stephen Parker’s coarse snarl. The rhythm section of drummer Cody McCoy and bassist Jacob Holland are prominent and vital, dictating a pulsating pace that gives the album further girth.

If this is one’s first exposure to Other World, nary a blame can be levied. Get used to hearing their name, as Tenebrous assuredly serves as a definitive statement of arrival. An engaging, virulent composition that surely is one of the pleasant surprises of the late summer, and perhaps this stroll through the calendar.

 

 

Teeth – The Will of Hate

Release Date: August 30, 2024

Finally, we have an act of bewildering death metal that boasts a vicious bite. Yes, the pun is always intended, and we of course are referring to the colossus simply known as Teeth. Their previous full-length The Curse of Entropy was masterful in both execution and twisted, impossible to predict song construction, while the 2021 EP Finite dove into even darker waters. The Will of Hate is the next chapter in the band’s journey, cackling at the hapless victim… err, listener, as a mangled form of precision death metal uncontrollably tears forth.

Teeth don’t particularly conceal their intentions, aiming straight for the throat with the visceral pair of “Blight” and “Loathe” displaying what’s in store. The former shines murkily in technicality and gnarled, uncompromising assaults, while the latter slithers into the listener’s subconscious akin to Altarage’s more direct pieces. There are subtle hints of progressiveness in the lead play of “Prison” without dialing down the savagery, whereas “Shiver” accomplishes exactly as the title prescribes in the form of monstrous blackened guitar hysteria. “Apparition” and “Seethe” conjure their inner Portal in slivers of restraint filled in with floods of unfathomable rhythmic punishment.

Dissonant death metal is a personal favorite genus within the broad spectrum this genre so graciously provides. Teeth manage to craft their own interpretation without pretense and shrouded machinations, along with the chomp of an insatiably hungry Titan. These gents are here to maim and swiftly obliterate via The Will of Hate; a death metal monstrosity that’s alluringly disfigured and impossible to tame.

 

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