BANDCAMP
01. The Synarchy of Molten Bones
02. Famished for Breath
03. Onward Where Most with Ravin I May Meet
04. Internecine Iatrogenesis
Believe it or not, I hadn't listened to this album/EP before today. Shame on me, right? Well, the reason was as simple as hyping it up internally until the desire to listen to it would reach an irresistible peak, and somehow in the process I eventually completely forgot about it. Only when The Furnaces of Palingenesia was released, I remembered "oh, right, they put out an EP in 2016 that I haven't listened to yet". Because I prefer to listen to releases in a chronological order, that meant not allowing myself to listen to the new album until I first listened to this one... that's the usual process I go through with releases I'm excited about, with very few bands/artists being exceptions.
Anyway, now that that confession is out of the way, onto actually review this. Is it a good album? Absolutely. Is it a great album? I mean, it's Deathspell Omega... can they come up with anything that isn't great?
The title track begins with some pretty tense orchestral stuff, which sets the mood perfectly for what's about to come. What comes is, as usual, some of the most dizzying black metal ever made. Using the word "virtuosic" about black metal might be odd, but this is undeniably technical and the sheer attention to detail on every riff and little flourish is simply insane.
Reviewing this one track-by-track wouldn't really work, as is common with Deathspell Omega releases. They create albums that really have to be considered as a whole, and there isn't necessarily anything that stands out from the individual songs... well, there is, but the uniformity and linearity always leads to a situation where, if considered individually, the songs are less impressive than when they are if considered in the context of the album. The songs complement and complete each other, in a way, and this album is no exception. The difference is that while all of Deathspell Omega's previous albums have also been best listened to as wholes, they've all had at least one song that immediately comes across as a song that works perfectly on its own as well. None of these four do, in my opinion, but they don't not work on their own either... they're just not as memorable by themselves.
There isn't a single moment on this album that feels boring, though, and it's in large part thanks to the drums. Sure, the guitars and bass are the primary "force" behind the music, but without drums that are as complex, there wouldn't be the same impact.
As for the vocals, obviously Aspa is one of the best metal vocalists alive. Some of the most disgusting noises ever recorded come out of his mouth, but he's also quite versatile. Without him, Deathspell Omega just wouldn't be the same. I used to be above making the obligatory comment about what a fucknut he is, but because everyone was shitting on the entire band because of his bullshit a while back, I feel like I have to say that while it's true that the vocalist is a Neo-Nazi, in my opinion that has zero weight on the music; the lyrics aren't about Aspa's puppy love for Hitler, about how butthurt he gets over the very existence of Jews or about how he wants Finland to be a part of Sweden again. He doesn't even write the lyrics. Besides, giving up on a band because of one member is blowing shit way out of proportion regardless of what that one member said or did.
Enjoyability: 9/10
Relistenability: 7/10
Memorability: 7/10
Coherence: 8/10
Flow: 9/10
Originality: 7/10
Epicness: 7/10
Nutshell: Don't let Aspa give you ass pain, just enjoy the music.
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