Band: various artists
Album: Odour of Dust & Rot
Genre: black metal
Year: 2011
Label: Rhinocervs
This V/A compilation collects tracks from a number of West-Coast US black metal bands and presents a dark, mystifying experience. For such a release, this is a very cohesive compilation; it almost feels as if a singular group is playing all the songs. What's more is none of the offerings stands out as particularly lacking in quality, yet not everything seems inherently essential to this comp either.
The highlights of this hour-long behemoth are the opening and closing numbers. "Enslave Every Star" leads us into the comp with waves of eerie dissonance, which effectively sets the tone for the subsequent tracks. The artist is frustratingly uncredited, and it would seem they (possibly) provided a number of the comp's tracks (6 total uncredited tracks). The closer is a slow, morose number by Absum (who also have multiple cuts on the release). Their other two tracks are likewise doomy and sullen with a vocalist who is incomprehensible but clearly in agony.
The other artists bring forth equally depraved cuts of black metal fury. Glossolalial's "Filth In the Light" stands out with its dissonant lead guitars, and Nihilobstat provide a slab of doomier black metal filth. The longest track is provided by Kuxan Suum at nearly eleven minutes. This piece, titled "Principle of Harmonic Resonance", takes the listener on a psychedelic, cosmic journey through Mayan astrology.
Overall, this comp is very well put together. The tracks flow seamlessly, almost as if the bands were all one entity. Give this fine compilation a listen on YouTube here.
Rating: 3.5 / 5
Top Tracks:
unknown -- Enslave Every Star
Absum -- Restless Specter
Glossolial -- Filth In the Light
