Review Summary: A true look into the chaotic and disturbed mind of a depressed individual
Emotion is a hard thing to categorize, for it has many different ways of been expressed. Depression is the same, for it is hard to say how it shows itself, for it can come out in many ways. When that depression is put into a musical format, it is the same, it can come out crisp, beautiful and haunting, such as in a
Nostalgia by Nocturnal Depression, or cold and raw, like a
A World of Pain by Happy Days. Or it can be chaotic, raw, haunting and truly uncategorizable, this is the music of Buzruh, with the first release
Alone In The Dark.
This music is totally different to, not only the majority of DSBM, the genre this album is put under, but black metal as a general. The music is hard to describe, an unrelenting sound that literally doesn't end till the end of the album, each song seamlessly flowing from one to the other, making it hard to discern between the tracks. Not that this is a negative by any means, rather it creates a kind of long musical, with each song as a movement, allowing a glance into the mind of the composer. If I was to put it into a genre though, it would fall under 'Noise DSBM' with drone elements, as this music holds the chaotic edge that that music holds as a trademark and repeated sections, though melody is definitely a part of this album, with songs such as
Hatethislife and
Scream With Me having melodic sections present, and definite riffs of their own. The guitar plays looped riffs for the most part, varying within songs, so as not to get repetitive, different styles are expressed, from tremolo to power chords. The drum section displays many patterns of its own, a variety of different rhythms and speeds been demonstrated. Vocally, the screams are highly distorted, along the lines of those of Leviathan and Xasthur, the lyrics are totally indiscernible, though the emotion behind the voice is easily conveyed to the listener, and the pain in it apparent.
Production wise it is raw, with the guitars, drums and vocals all merging into a sound wall, making it sometimes hard to discern, but adding to the chaotic feel of the album.
This album is not one to be enjoyed, but rather to be experienced, it is a totally unique thing. What it is, in my belief, is a form of musical therapy, not dressed up listener to absorb it and put it on repeat, such as with other DSBM bands like Nocturnal Depression, Thy Light and Striborg, but rather to simply express oneself. It is raw emotion, black metal with noise, and drone elements thrown in, and if you are not into this sort of thing, you will not enjoy it, don't even listen to a track. This is not an album you relax too or have on whilst doing work, this is enjoyed in a dark room, alone with nothing but yourself and your thoughts, ideally with alcohol too. This is depressed music, for depressed people.
