(Written by Islander)

The world as we know it is a bleak place, our inner worlds too often beset by turmoil and disappointment, and the outer world too savaged by humanity’s abundant, never-ending flaws. To be sure, we have glimpses of beauty and hope, but much of the time it’s a struggle to see them through the new and continuing ruins each day brings, inside and out.

Some metal bands succeed in creating diversions from the darkness, others seem to embrace it with a kind of nihilistic joy, and still others ruefully capture the grimness of what they see and feel in the most honest and powerful way they can, creating a staggering and shattering catharsis for others and for themselves as well. Oriska is that last kind of band.

This collective is headquartered in Fargo, North Dakota, but with members dispersed across California, Montana, North Dakota, and Minnesota. Their lineup features former members of Battlefields (Init Records, Translation Loss), Dispensing of False Halos, and Sleeping in Gethsemane (Init Records).

Oriska‘s self-titled debut album is now set for release on November 15th by Mind Over Matter Records and Init Records. “Blackened post-metal” is a shorthand description of the album’s music, but like many succinct genre terms it leaves a lot to the imagination. Better to see what that really means in the context of a song, and today we have one for you. Entitled “Bismuth“, it’s the album’s centerpiece and a formidable basis for the thoughts we tried to express above. Continue reading »