Review Summary: Tell me, sweet child, why are tears rolling from your eyes?
The drumbeat surges into play like a sea tide reemerging from slumber. It comes as no surprise that this is the build up for the true chaos to arise, for the hell within to be unleashed. Soon, melodic guitars echo in the background, followed by the murmurs of many. This escalates more and more, giving the listener a sense of apprehension of what exactly is about to happen. Then, everything stops... it's almost as though time is standing still. The murmers reignite, leaving only a few seconds to linger in the still waters of sound, before you get dragged into the rip current of fire. It begins.
A blistering riff is then blasted into the listeners ears without any hesitation. Pummelling drums soar and hyper-technical guitar playing pierce through the silence. From this, it is immediately noticeable that Deathspell Omega do not follow the beaten path in which most do. The bass follows almost jazz-like structures and strays away from the guitar playing, making it truly essential to the backbone of the three songs found on this EP. This style is original within Black Metal, and proves to be highly memorable, leaving the listener thirsting for more.
Throughout these sinister 30 minutes, the guitars conjure truly diabolical riffs, which emit a wonderfully evil atmosphere into the heart of the record. These riffs are often fast paced, with odd time signatures, highlighting the vast Avant-garde elements of this band. With this, comes horrendously fast stop-start moments peppered throughout the record, making the listener feel as though they've experienced a serious case of whiplash by the time the three-part epic draws to a close.
Surprisingly, the drums in this record are not always breaking the sound barrier. For the most part, they are found within a more comfortable mid-paced beat, whilst the guitars are doing the fast shredding. This is for the most part however, as the drummer truly does show he can hit a couple of hundred beats a minute. This comes with the more hectic moments of the record, which absolutely pummel the listener. These do prove as a test to whether one can cope with this band, and is surely rewarded if so.
The vocals in this record are impresingly consistent, and never fail to caese the malevolent nature being generated. It is fair to say these are not the best vocals a Deathspell Omega record has seen, but are amazing nonetheless. As for the lyrical content, it is of standard fashion for the band. But, that standard is of tremendously impressive proportions. This band is known for its highly philosophical content, as it is highly unusual for a band to put this much thought into lyrics. The subjects at hand on 'Kenose' are Kenosis and Plerosis, dealing with becoming an instrument to a deity and losing any hints of lust.
With all this, comes a truly horrific, yet enjoyable experience. From the unbelievable explosion that is the introduction, to the profanely evil jack-in-the-box-like sound within the break of the third track, this EP never lets up. It is dark, unique and simply a benchmark in the Deathspell Omega discography. It may take numerous listens to appreciate this record fully, as it is incredibly precise and layered. But by doing this, it makes it clear how massive of a 30 minute record this is. So much is condensed into it, and every bit is mesmerising. A truly captivating listen from start to end. Simply, a must listen.
