Review Summary: Burning in bliss
A little while back I read an article that sort of opened my eyes to death metal as a genre; an over earnest “think piece” stating that death metal was inherently an open book. The genre was never meant to be dissected, nor held up to any artistic standard. The author states a case for enjoying death metal at face value instead of digging endlessly for a profundity that isn’t there. To be honest, this really struck a chord with me. Maybe death metal is only for show; a fun bag of cheap tricks which should be enjoyed but not appreciated.
Then Howls of Ebb came along and did away with all of that silliness.
Howls of Ebb are the most intriguing death metal band to arise this decade. 2014’s
Vigils of the 3rd Eye was merely an introduction to the strange and hypnotic stylings of this San Francisco band. That’s because
The Marrow Veil is truly the first grand appearance of their vision. It’s daring and bold; a fully realized blend of death metal as an aesthetic and death metal as, well, and art form. The dark and dreary sound so prevelant in the genre permeates the entire “mini” record. It’s true metal, killer riffs and all. But Howls of Ebb skew genre norms enough to make it wholly unique and incredibly satisfying.
The Marrow Veil is touted to be full of “limbonic hymnals (off-kilter, alien, atonal blackened death metal,) conjured from the nightmarish spheres of Void existing between anguish and fear.” This dramatic statement goes a long way in keeping the genre shtick intact. The record really is an alien vision, however, with its two mammoth tracks filled with unearthly sounds and textures. “Standing on Bedlam, Burning in Bliss” is equal parts
Nespithe and, oddly enough,
Hubbardo. Filled with incongruities, the near 20 minute track is with temporal insanity bisected by sounds completely out of place. But it all works. The nightmarish landscape feels incredibly vivid, like a hellish vision come to life. Doom intermingles with death, progressive rock with psychedlia--a tormented collection of things that shouldn’t work but ultimately come off as brilliant. The track is one part of a two part whole, with the two minute “Dusks Tyrannical Lore” acting as an atmospheric reprieve. Leading into “Iron Laurels, Woven in Rust” the track is a welcomed segue.
“Iron Laurels, Woven in Rust” is the record’s showcase. Featuring a more traditional death metal sound, it does not hobble around as much as the first behemoth song. The whirling and demonic atmosphere is still present but a little more deeply rooted in the song, with breaks in the chaos being fewer and further in between. Gorguts inspired atonality is abound here and makes the song feel even more primal. This is of course helped by the morose chanting heard in the background.
If one thing must be said against
The Marrow Veil it’s that it often sounds muddy. The scorched atmosphere is intentional, giving the album a thick miasma of doom, but it may not be for everyone. A bit more clarity would have done wonders for the mixing. But this is really nitpicking because Howls of Ebb sound so marvelous in spite of the nagging issue.
In fact this is the sort of release that makes a listener salivate in earnest for a new release. And that is completely acceptable.
