Various Artists -- Odour of Dust & Rot (review)

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

Project Nefast -- Dogma (review)

Artist: Project Nefast
Album: Dogma
Genre: psychedelic black metal
Year: 2016
Label: independent

This review comes in anticipation of Project Nefast's forthcoming album, Sex Money Power.

Project Nefast hail from the Netherlands and deliver a hypnotic, droning form of black metal.  Their sophomore full-length, Dogma, is rather simple, yet the Dutch trio manages to drown the listener in a whirlwind of psychedelic noise.  The album consists of a single, 36-minute track titled "Obsession" which, according to the band, is subdivided into four distinct movements.
The first section consists of droning noise and light guitar feedback which creates a soothing atmosphere that is juxtaposed with the vocalist shouting an unintelligible phrase over and over.  The droning sounds very light and soft despite the fact that it is drowning out the vocalist, who is clearly shouting.
The second movement interrupts and takes the track in a different direction.  The drums provide a solid foundation for a methodical bassline, and the guitar takes center stage, building in intensity over time.  The drummer breaks out into a steady blast beat as the guitar riff becomes a wall of sound.  This passage seems to flow over the listener like the ocean tide.  The vocalist returns, seemingly distant amidst the shimmering atmosphere.
Out of nowhere, the band abruptly stops, snapping the listener out of their trance.  The guitar begins a new riff, this one much slower and more doom metal in nature.  Feedback fills in the gaps between each note, and the vocalist continues to wail as the drummer plays a slow, thumping beat.  The song takes on a heavy, oppressive nature.  It seems to weigh down on the listener, dragging them deeper into the depths.  Over time, the riff becomes a single droning note repeated ad nauseam until it fades, leaving only the bass and drums to steadily continue.
The final movement builds off of the beat and bassline of the previous one.  The focus is a hypnotizing guitar jam that is drenched in psychedelia.  The intensity builds and crashes repeatedly, like rolling waves, until the track finally comes to a close.
This release shows the band's ability to compose and execute lengthy, singular pieces.  The methodical nature of the music adds to the psychedelic atmosphere created by the guitars.  I am really looking forward to the band's work in the future!  Download this album for free from Project Nefast's bandcamp here.


Rating: 4 / 5