Deathspell Omega: The Long Defeat

Although French Black metal trio Deathspell Omega formed in 1998, their 2022 release The Long Defeat is my first exposure to the band. The album is the eighth full length release in their catalog. Although the band started off with a more traditional Black metal sound, they have shifted to a bit more of an experimental side of the genre. As a fan of both Black metal and the avant-garde, this stylistic choice excited me quite a bit. After spending some time with this album, I would consider myself on board with their sound. It isn’t without its flaws, but it is heavy, moody, complex, and thoroughly interesting for most of the way through.

All the songs on this album are long; with track lengths ranging from seven to 12 minutes. A lot of them don’t feel their lengths though, because of how intricate and full of changes the compositions are. Tracks like “Enantiodromia� and “Eadem, sed aliter� shift between a noisy and atmospheric wall of sound, and unrelenting heaviness. They feature noisy guitar riffs, thunderous and unorthodox drumming, and brutal vocals. Others like “The Long Defeat� and “Sie sind gerichtet!� ditch the atmospheric intros of the first two tracks and open with some of the heaviest riffs of the album. I thought all these tracks were very strong, with my favorite probably being “The Long Defeat�. The last track “Our Life Is Your Death� is the lightest track of the album. While it is still relatively heavy, it has more of a post punk feel at times, with glimpses of Joy Division in the guitar tones/parts. It took me a couple listens to get into this song. It is a bit one note, which initially turned me off, but the atmosphere and performances still made it shine. With that being said, it is still my least favorite track.

All the performances on the album are very solid. I like the range of vocal styles that lead singer Mikko Aspa uses throughout. There are some parts where he sings in Death metal growls, and others where he lets out haunting and gut-wrenching shrieks. The only thing that I don’t like vocally is when he does spoken word/shouting during the beginning of “Eadem, sed aliter�. While it wasn’t terrible, it just felt cheesy and underwhelming compared to the haunting aggressiveness of the rest of his performances. All the guitar parts and bass tracks are quite interesting as well. Some of the bass lines are very progressive, which I like a lot. I am very intrigued by the drums on this album. There is not a drummer credited, which leads me to wonder if they used a drum machine. Some parts sound very acoustic, while others do sound like they are synthesized. Regardless, the bombast of the drumming adds a ton to the album, and makes it feel way more chaotic and experimental.

The album has lo-fi production values at points. I don’t see this as a negative though, being it’s a Black metal album. I think it adds to the overall darkness in its tone. I also want to give props for the big sound that the band got during recording. Even with some flaws, there is a wall of sound throughout, and the mix is solid. The only flaws I heard in the mix are that the vocals are a bit low at points, and the guitar solo in “Eadem, sed aliter� is a bit hard to hear.

Overall, I enjoy this album a lot. It gets better every time I listen to it! It’s dark, heavy, atmospheric, and it’s full of experimentation. I love how unpredictable the song structure is. During my first listen, I had no idea where the songs were going to go, and I was pleasantly surprised every time. While I did find some minor flaws throughout, I have an overall positive opinion of the album. It is one that I see myself revisiting more in the future. If you are looking for Black metal with a progressive/avant-garde twist, then definitely check these guys out!

Deathspell Omega is:
Khaos- Bass
Hasjarl- Guitar
Mikko Aspa- Vocals

Track Listing:
1) “Enantiodromia�
2) “Eadem, sed aliter�
3) “The Long Defeat�
4) “Sie sind gerichtet!�
5) “Our Life Is Your Death�

Added: March 25th 2022
Reviewer: Ryan Gavalier
Score:
Related Link: Band @ Bandcamp
Hits: 1166
Language: english

[ Printer Friendly Page ]
[ Send to a Friend ]