Review Summary: The bastard child of a match made in hell.
(
Sidenote: The accompanying promo video for
Dyodyo Asema is as disturbing as the music and remains engaging for the entire nineteen minute run time. It is definitely worth viewing.)
It’s always thrilling when a collaboration that seems both logical and desirable actually comes to fruition. For those with a more morbid musical mindset, such an occasion was realized when
Gnaw Their Tongues and
Alkerdeel announced a joint release in celebration of ConSouling Sounds’ fifth anniversary. The result:
Dyodyo Asema, a twisted, nineteen minute behemoth spawned from the most malicious amalgamation of sludge, black metal and noise.
The track contains two similar bookends that open and close the song, best described as a merging of
Sunn O))) and
Pharmakon. A swirl of feedback, guitar drones and bells creates a menacing atmosphere that is nothing short of unsettling. Centered in the abyss is a murky black metal passage akin to a
Wolves in the Throne Room track with a much muddier sound. Throughout the entire track, vocals that wretch and choke eerily haunt the already off-putting mood, as if tortured souls are retching within their own personal hells. It’s an overall feeling that consumes, and the conclusion feels like an escape from audial torture.
It’s an escape steeped in Stockholm Syndrome though, as the most prominent after thought is an anticipation for further collaborations between
Gnaw Their Tongues and
Alkerdeel. Nothing on
Dyodyo Asema comes as a surprise considering the bands’ catalogues, but the experience still isn’t one that can be prepared for. Here’s to hoping that the next collaboration comes long before ConSouling Sounds’ tenth anniversary.
