Review Summary: Behold the colossal return of chaos, darkness and pain. Behold, hear and bow.
Deathspell Omega needs no detailed introduction, since it's one of the most respected bands of the European underground extreme metal scene. The little information available about the band and the fact they have never played live also helped to feed the mystery and cult around Deathspell Omega, and yes, the cult is real, only something truly respected could influence as many bands as Altarage, Artificial Brain, Suffering Hour, among others.
After all, when you think dissonant you think Deathspell Omega.
I've been listening to their albums over the past few years but the band's more abstract and dissonant side has always kept me from wanting to explore it more deeply, it required an effort and focus that for one reason or another was not willing to give. Everything changed when I heard
"Ad Arma! Ad Arma!".
The Furnaces of Palingenesia single featured a more catchy and straightforward side of the band I'd never heard of and it was the trigger that led me to revisit their most relevant discography more closely.
The Furnaces of Palingenesia is everything I expected after hearing the single, a less abstract musical approach, while keeping the band's DNA and the structural elements of their music intact. As if an abstract surrealist painter decided to bet on more evident, contrasting and visible forms, but maintaining the dark colors palette of his previous work. It's a new period, a slight change in style, but the artistic language remains the same.
Yes,
The Furnaces of Palingenesia is a triumphant return. Its seductive dissonant abstractionism surrounds us like a cloak of darkness and its intriguing melodic adventurism on songs such as "1523" or "You Cannot Even Find the Ruins…" create an interesting contrast and represent an unexpected but pleasant new approach for the band.
My friends, Deathspell Omega is back, behold the colossal return of chaos, darkness and pain, behold, hear and bow.
