OBSCURITIES VOL. XII: THE SEASON OF THE LIST

(Daniel Barkasi is back with us again, this time providing reviews of eight recommended albums of varying style that were released in November 2024.)

No, we’re not talking about Halloween III: Season of the Witch, and we certainly won’t be seeing any odd witch masks with a piece of Stonehenge in them. That movie is rough, but also strangely entertaining. It was better than almost all of the subsequent Halloween sequels that came after, though that isn’t saying much, is it? Now that infernal Silver Shamrock song is stuck in my head. Go ahead and click on that link. Now it’s in your head, too.

Halloween has long since passed, and now also Thanksgiving being in the rearview – and a huge thank you to our awesome KevinP for having the wife and myself over. Seeing him and his awesome family on Thanksgiving has become a tradition for us, and one we’re incredibly thankful for. Certainly hope there were some good times with good people, whether you celebrate the holiday or not.

The sheer volume of releases the last few years has been staggering, with 2024 being no exception. Sometimes it’s an overwhelming circumstance, however, as we don’t want to miss much, so there are plenty of long listening sessions. It’s impossible to not miss releases, and once we get into next year, there will always be some that we can hardly believe evaded our ears by perusing the many lists out there. Especially the many lists that’ll be present on this fine site – Andy Synn is on a roll, and he always unearths plenty of gems.

I encourage everyone to check out all of the lists at NCS, and thank all of the awesome folks who send in their lists to share. Sharing music is a pastime we all indulge in on the regular, and that’s the gift that keeps on giving the whole year. Way better than a jelly of the month club.

As a quick aside, if you’re into holiday movies like I am and are a Mystery Science Theater 3000 freak, make their riff of Santa Claus Conquers the Martians an annual tradition. Don’t forget the Star Wars Holiday Special (watch the Rifftrax version, I beg you), to make George Lucas’ season complete.

Now with all of the tryptophan worn off, November was yet another loaded month. We’ve managed to slap together a hefty sampling of releases to provide some yuletide nastiness – multiple varieties of the doom persuasion, some twisted black metal, and even a few selections that dip their toes into progressive metal waters. We’ll have a year-end list to hopefully drop later in the month, but in the meantime, enjoy the inundation of lists, and hopefully you find something cool that you may not have heard otherwise, both here and within all of Listmania 2024.

 

Ephialtes – Melas Oneiros

Release Date: November 1, 2024

A little Borknagar and Vintersorg inspiration never hurt anyone, right? These two are a glaringly obvious influence on Polish newcomers Ephialtes and their debut album, Melas Oneiros. Not so much on the folkier side, mind you, but absolutely in the soaring guitars and forward-thinking spirit. Hell, there may even be some Windir-esque moments in this brew. Think anything but conventional black metal with melody to burn.

The harsh/clean (gasp) vocal layering utilized copiously within Melas Oneiros is seamless – “To the Victims of Sirens” pulsates with vitality, whereas “In Her Embrace Again” dances between heavy gallops, blackened snarls, and classic heavy metal hooks. Ephialtes’ sound profile is catchy and energetic, while balancing their compositions with moments of crushing heaviness. Tracks like “Children of Arachne” offer a riff explosion with a hint of gothic sensibility, whereas “Homo Deus” assaults directly with melodic black bite with a helping of thumping rhythms.

When going into this album, the stylizations present weren’t what was expected, instead being a delightfully pleasant surprise that’s been hard to shake (not that we’d want to). If classic metal morphed with melodic black metal in a highly unique, feel-good aesthetic floats one’s boat, Melas Oneiros will leave a huge grin as you quickly select repeat to spin this beauty again. Ephialtes have envisaged something uncommon that’s an absolute blast in their sleek approach. We can’t wait to see what the future holds.

 

Drownship – Tidal Passages

Release Date: November 8, 2024

Reveling in the methodical, dreary soundscapes of doom whilst mixing those with the elegance and nuance of post-metal, Germany’s Drownship aims to create music with a deep emotional tinge. Additionally, their sonic design is also accompanied by enough punch to satiate the thirst for crushing tonality. Their debut album Tidal Passages accomplishes precisely that along with significant flair.

Comparisons with Glare of the Sun come to mind structurally, with Drownship opting for a noted variance in the vocal deliveries. To be more precise, a wide range of cleans (mid-range melancholic to more soaring and filled with melody), throat-ripping screams, and the low-end occasional growl.

Many of these means are layered to give a multi-pronged effect; opener “Where the Flood Springs” utilizes this approach, while also combining crunching rhythms with clean guitar leads to evoke a turbulent yet reflective aura. The chilling segment from 3:52 goes full post via a dizzying array of clean strings and pain-riddled evocative shrieks. “Those Who Drank from the Waters of Lethe” continues via a mostly doom-laden heft, while also flashing melancholic post moments to change the pace. There’s a common back-and-forth between these two predominant styles, working to the band’s advantage.

“The Great Devouring” presents a reflective, somber piece that belts the listener with unrelenting ferocity at the higher tension points, reminding somewhat of how post-hardcore legends City of Caterpillar write their slow-builds, albeit much less drawn out in Drownship’s case. Those seeking aural strain and a weighty, explosive crescendo will dig “Abysmal Flower” – which also connects to closer “Iconoclast” and its winding, emotive grandiosity. The inclusion of Todtgelichter’s lead vocalist Marta as a guest was astute, adding another viewpoint via a stirring vocal duet with Jonas Borchers.

Tidal Passages embraces post styles to a high degree, but is far from predictable or cliched in the band’s heavy lean towards the doom side of their proverbial coin. Drownship has created a powerful first full-length chock-full of beauty amongst the destruction, successfully striking a fine balance that’s not easily achieved.

 

Lying Figures – Inheritance

Release Date: November 14, 2024

French death/doomsters Lying Figures was a name we hadn’t heard in quite a time. A surely reasonable conclusion, with their 2017 debut album The Abstract Escape being the last we’ve heard from the duo. Now residing on the always reliable Meuse Music Records, they’ve returned with a take-no-prisoners onslaught titled Inheritance.

Having delved further into their own psyche and personal experiences to pour into album two, the performances showcase just that, making Inheritance a more studious and provocative offering. Swift, pulsating riffs open “Addicted to Negativity” before slowly taking the foot off the accelerator to introduce gothic-inspired misery (those clean vocalizations particularly stand out), before blazing forth once again. The aptly named “Euphoria and Misery” delivers ground-shaking, downtrodden heaviness intertwined with flowing dreary passages, landing a 1-2 punch of raw perturbation.

If you’re seeking trembling arrangements melded with ample weeping lead guitars, “Watch Me Fall” and “Self Hatred” will fit the bill. A wonderful guest vocal appearance from the always versatile Déhà proves a fine addition to the memorable, trenchant standout “Death into Heredity.” Channeling a tad bit of Gothic-era Paradise Lost on “Remembrance” gives a fine touch, while finale “Contemptus Mundi” ends in a swell of pensive melancholy.

As a whole, Inheritance is a more than satisfying return, an overwhelmingly personal album that elevates all of Lying Figures’ best characteristics. These fellows should be on the radar of doom seekers far and wide, delivering the goods with sorrowful aplomb.

 

Nekus – Death Apophenia

Release Date: November 15, 2024

Now we move on to the kind of doom that symbolizes pure violence, maniacal and visceral in every conceivable facet. Opting for a blackened and gritty profile, Nekus has been a revelation since emerging in 2020 via the Death Nova Upon the Barren Harvest EP. Their debut LP Sepulchral Divination upped the ante further, bursting with suffocating hopelessness. That path continues with Death Apophenia, showcasing Nekus at their most twisted.

Fittingly beginning with ominous groaning amongst dripping water (no doubt in a mysterious cavern) is an apt setup for “Cadaverous Periphery” and what’s been prepared for the next 41 minutes. Slowly adding further instruments one by one – a percussive march, grimy guitars, occasional deep growls – before all combining into a virulent haze of grinding guitars ala old school UK death metal.

Nekus discharges a steadfast pacing that mimics the feeling of a monster stalking you, gaining ground no matter what choice one makes to evade it. Vocally all over the map, with gnarled shouts and otherworldly howls adding to the more prevalent deep cavernous growls, this variance gives Death Apophenia further exemplification of the band’s particular brand of audible horror.

Most menacing is “Noxious Furor,” highlighted by disgusting riffs and an atmosphere that screams – sometimes literally – utter bleakness. The song composition is very deliberate in build, with each of the five tracks cranking up the listener’s apprehension by way of cunning design and inflection that acts as a tightening vice grip. Nekus does know how to speed up when necessary; the beginning of “Unutterable Prophecies” blasts out of the gate with haste, before pulling back for maximum dread to form a fearsome track that takes its time.

Nekus pulls doom to the deepest, darkest recesses, and we’re grateful to be dragged kicking into the chasm that is Death Apophenia. This album has no reservations; contorted and deliciously vile in presentation and execution. Listen to this with the lights off.

 

The Mosaic Window – Hemasanctum

Release Date: November 15, 2024

Andrew Steven Brown’s existential solo black metal project The Mosaic Window aims to defy convention at every turn while exploring deeply personal and abstract themes. Plight of Acceptance was about loss, specifically Brown’s father and grandmother during that time a few years ago that we’d all like to forget. Musically, he took a wildly singular view of melodic black metal, demanding the listener’s attention with every note, weaving a tapestry shaped by a different fabric. Naturally, the followup has been anticipated by many, and a little more than a year later, it has arrived in the form of Hemasanctum.

This album revolves around Brown’s, in his words, “current thoughts on life, relationships (parent-child), and loss.” The Mosaic Window has always been a deeply personal project, and those feelings bleed through within the ghostly melodies and smoldering ethos portrayed here. Sensibly, opener “Incantation to Summon the Unstable” is a song about birth, with closer “Hymn to Silence the Light” representing death. In between is an assortment of feelings and diverse instrumentation to bring those thoughts to life.

“Black Bethlehem” is an aggressive yet soulful piece, where “Turibulum” is brimming with melody and harmonics. Pieces such as “Ash Like Anvils” play with a hardcore-adjacent riff along with furious blackened tremolos, where “Night Disease” differs by taking the tempo down a degree while bathing in swarming atmospherics. It’s a complex package that’s spicy and thoughtful all at once.

Taken as a whole, Hemasanctum is a detailed journey of a man’s introspective observations on subjects that are cornerstones of human existence, and with that deep theme comes the meticulous, ornate soundtrack to portray it. Diverse with a bevy of moving turns and indelible craftsmanship, The Mosaic Window has again concocted an attentive, intriguing work that defies preconceived notions of melodic black/death metal with a degree of care that’s rarely seen at this level of proficiency. 

 

Múr – Múr

Release Date: November 22, 2024

There are many ways that we discover bands nowadays. Countless hours on The Metal Archives, examining fine websites like this and print magazines (the ones left, anyway), word of mouth, playlists, streaming suggestions, etc. Stumbling across Iceland’s Múr was a random occurrence – a live video from 2022 of the song “Holskefla” – was a mesmerizing affair. A band unknown to me without any studio recordings who possessed an undeniable presence and a booming, powerful sound that stood out.

Desperate to find more, there wasn’t a whole lot to uncover at the time. However, now over two years later, the band’s self-titled debut album has arrived with little fanfare or hype, despite the band landing with a big label in Century Media. Even that tasty live recording couldn’t properly prepare my ears for what Múr had in store.

Their overall sound is a chore to put a definitive label on. Absolutely progressive, but not in ways that would be expected. Thick synthesizers, roaring yet crisp guitar work, and a denseness to their overarching sound are all attributes that form Múr’s foundation. The lead play is silky smooth and infectious, and vocalist/keytar wielder Kári Haraldsson is endowed with a standout singing voice that’s melancholic and filled with heart, and a growl that’s shockingly explosive and fearsome.

They’re quite the sonic melting pot, but what they’ve put together is cohesive and so expertly written that on first listen, you’d place them for a veteran group who have been around the block a few times over. Take the silky earworm that is the ambitious opener “Eldhaf,” dominated by Haraldsson’s croon and brilliant, virulent lead play that sticks like super glue. If completely unfamiliar, you’d expect more of the same. Then the following title track smashes the door down – a monstrously heavy, thunderous beast that one wouldn’t expect after the established melancholy.

More impressive still is Múr’s keen ability to conjure enveloping moods that enrapture and captivate. The downtuned menace that is “Frelsari” grinds away, building and building towards eruptions of pure vigor. The chorus vocally is comparable to something twisted that Devin Townsend may develop when he’s in angry mode – high praise as a devout follower of Hevy Devy. There’s a hint of Vola in the electronics present on tracks like “Vitrun,” though what Múr has to offer is far more volatile and untamed than the Dane’s refined compositions. For a to-the-point firestorm of trance-inducing directness, “Messa” will obliterate via burgeoning synths and a wall of guitars that combine to form one hell of an affront that never lets go.

The album concludes with a pair of chilling long-form pieces in “Heimsslit” and the previously mentioned “Holskefla,” ending proceedings with a burst of mammoth riffage and unbridled intensity. Iceland has given us countless bands brimming with creativity and cutting-edge music that’s wholly unique to the incredible island nation, and Múr continues that fine tradition. There are no limits for this five-piece, who have provided one of the most striking introductions in recent memory.

 

Dewfall – Landhaskur

Release Date: November 29, 2024

Italian black/death merchants Dewfall have been around for over two decades now, and their early history is a bit evasive. Our first introduction to the band was the masterful Hermeticus, yet nine years prior was their first album V.I.T.R.I.O.L. that has proved impossible to track down. The band supposedly had a shift in sound early on from a classic metal approach to the folky black/death they sling today (according to the ole’ Archives). The earliest work readily available is the 2013 demo Painful Death Lake, which led to the aforementioned Hermeticus in 2018. The time between is now six years; a fair amount between albums. Nevertheless, Landhaskur lands as a dazzling effort well worth the wait that further solidifies Dewfall as a force in the genre.

There has been a bit of a shift this go-round, opting to reside further in the black metal realm, while also not eschewing their folk elements. The proof is in the pudding, as the resultant is a darker, more robust energy at the forefront. “Fara” showcases the band’s tight balance, flaunting a tremolo that expresses their rapturous spirit. Vocally, the Týr-like chants slot in organically next to Vittorio Bilanzuolo’s gravelly, coarse delivery.

Moreover, the writing throughout Landhaskur is sublime; “Skalks” shimmies between scalding black metal and forward-thinking, epic segments of storytelling splendor. “Hrings” stands out as a notable entry, tipping further towards the folkier side than most tracks, though thankfully without sacrificing the album’s sting or momentum.

Where folk and folk-adjacent metal in general has been a feckless, unbearable bore for years, Dewfall provides fresh, engaging black metal with a folky underbelly. The medieval pagan theme is legitimately intriguing, and the band have discovered the right mixture to give us an album in Landhaskur that’s got soul in abundance defined by a generous combination of melody and slick blackened instrumentation. If there’s a record in this style to check out this year, Dewfall’s latest should be near the top of that list.

 

Stormcast – Tremors in the Ether

Release Date: November 29, 2024

Stormcast is a band yours truly has a long history with. Having caught their live show at Metaldays in 2013, the then young Cyprus natives were building toward their first album Frame of Mind in 2014, which ironically I featured in my first article for No Clean Singing – an end-of-year list for 2014. They’ve since relocated to the UK and the lineup has changed since said first album. It’s crazy how time flies, and Stormcast have continued on throughout that time with the bombastic The Ghost Eater in 2018, and since had been relatively silent until today with their third full-length, Tremors in the Ether.

Sound-wise, the band have shifted somewhat – The Ghost Eater contained massive, chunky, Gojira-esque riffs and shouted vocal stylings along with their trademark symphonic black metal soundscapes. Tremors in the Ether has a degree of that, but trends further into the black metal direction while still keeping these elements – especially in guitarist/vocalist Mike Angastiniotis’ cutting screams.

Angastiniotis is at the center of the project, and his skills continue to evolve along with the band’s furthering progressive direction. Lead single “Ad Astra” shreds with lightning quick leads, tidbits of groove, and ample soaring melodies to boot, housed within multiple time changes and a continuously changing flow.

Selections such as “Gods from a Stranger Land” contain shades of Middle Eastern-ish accents surrounded by thick, chunky riffs, whereas “King of the Everlost” ups the pace steadily while nailing lively clean-sung choruses that fit the band’s direction nicely. Proggier pieces “Oceans” and “Collective Incompetence” show ambitiousness via complex structures and hair-raising segments. “Embers in the End” concludes in a solemn fashion, utilizing electronics and symphonic characteristics for the first half of the song, adding a scintillating solo merged with a snazzy riff, all reflectively wrapping up in an intonation similar to how the track began.

As time cruelly moves in constant forward motion, so has Stormcast’s maturation. Tremors in the Ether aspires to a new plane of modular existence, vigorously marching onward with zeal and conviction. We hope Angastiniotis and company continue their musical evolution, as we wait with bated breath to hear what they’ve got in store.

 

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