Chasmdweller - Chasmdweller (2019)
On this, their first release,
Chasmdweller offer up two lengthy tracks of death-flavored
atmospheric doom, leading with “Plague Monument”, a slow-crushing
roller with breaks into rampages sourced from the death metal side of
its heritage. Boggy reverb and cave-like acoustics add to the
dungeon vibe, as do the intentionally muffled vocals. Touches of
electronic texturing further it even more, while also providing solid
intro and outro coverage, and the murkiness of it all is spun
together with a good ear for how to combine flavor with big riffs and
healthy momentum.
The second half, “Clotting of the
Sacred Artery”, pulls a synth intro as well, but develops into a
paganistic tambourine-and-drones piece that shows the group's melodic
side in ominous fashion. After about four minutes of that
examination, the more traditional metal resurfaces, breaching with a
driving drum pattern and bass riff to match. Following their ride, a
sink back into hissing drones leads the way to the finish.
Though it's a quick trip through the
mini-album, Chasmdweller certainly make a good showing in that
stretch, and their blending of well-executed death doom with more
uncommon elements shows not just a promising inclination towards
experimentalism, but also a refreshingly out-there twist on a style
that can often end up too predictable, even while staying enjoyable.
That they don't blend the metal and dark electronic portions more
directly into each other is a bit of a shame, but as an introductory
release, it does a great job of piquing interest while letting its
songs stand firm on their own. A very limited run of cassettes is up
on the BandCamp page of the label, Static Void Records, or you can
snag a digital copy for just $2. At the very least, swing by the
page and give it a listen to hear some enjoyable oddness applied to
the doom foundations.
~ Gabriel
For Fans Of; Bell Witch,
Descend Into Despair, Drift Into Black, Illimitable Dolor, Nonsun
~
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