Lycus "Chasms"
Hipster doom. It is a term I hadn't any knowledge of the existence of let alone the meaning implied until quite recently on the internet someone described Lycus as being this. I suppose in a world where all existing genres of old have been divided and subdivided to with an inch of their original recognition it is questionable whether or not "hipster" simply means something new that people simply don't understand? That sound or style that one can't quite place even though there are still so many familiar elements to what you are hearing.
To the ears of Eminent Silence, Lycus are a monstrous, planet eating machine of doom. Within 5 minutes of hearing "Chasms" they have smothered you in an overwhelming shroud of relentless dirge that you have no chance of escaping from. It isn't just the power of opening track "Solar Chamber" that surrounds you, it is the emotion as well. It is a complete immersion into a world of sorrow so heavy you struggle to breath, into a realm of otherworldly grief and sadness so vast and expansive that your sobs of anguish are lost in the cavernous darkness about you.
As track two picks its way into your conscious the awareness of the depths of the "Chasms" into which you have fallen becomes apparent. Using build to perfection Lycus construct a fathomless universe of ethereal beauty before crushing your very soul with the oppressive yet entrancing misery on display. In the last 12 months I can only think of Bell Witch who have presented anything similar in terms of sheer power of delivery. Here in comparison there is melody to temper the weight of the riffs and chanted vocals to add yet more atmosphere with their eerie delivery.
The compositional prowess on show during the 4 tracks on "Chasms" is mind boggling. Lengthy though the tracks are, never once does your mind wander, never once does your attention span lapse or become distracted. From the opening track to the end of the album you are drawn into a different and very gloomy world. And don't think it is just crushing riffs and eerie arrangements on here, there are cello accompaniments to the agonisingly slow funeral doom and several switches between clean and bellowed vocal delivery.
By the time you hit track 3 (the shortest at a shade under 7 and a half minutes) you have question whether or not this can all be absorbed in one sitting. However, this is where "Chasms" excellent compositions and arrangements really come into their own. As "Mirage" starts proper that cello from the previous track fades in like some spirit from a crestfallen widow. It isn't a direct continuation of arrangement from the previous track it is more subtle than that. It is the thread leading out of the maze of torment and melancholy, it is an evident benchmark of the extraordinary use of pace within this monolithically slow (at times) record. Then from nowhere we have furious BM blasting dropped deep into the mix to have just enough presence to be heard yet not takeover the track and distract from the pace entirely.
"Obsidian Eyes" makes an unapologetic entry as it thunders in dragging melancholic riffs with it like the heads of dead enemies. It settles into its assured and determined slog effortlessly, harrowing melodies pick at your ears like carrion crows at a carcass. Again, the depth achieved within 12 minutes plus is staggering and the journey you travel along is no less harsh than it is rewarding.
"Chasms" is superb, don't let anyone else intimate otherwise to you. Even in January I can safely say that this will be a serious contender in 2016s' end of year list. It has been 2 and a half years since Lycus dropped "Tempest" and it is safe to say that every last minute of the wait to get to "Chasms" was worth it.
5/5
Check out purchase options here.
To the ears of Eminent Silence, Lycus are a monstrous, planet eating machine of doom. Within 5 minutes of hearing "Chasms" they have smothered you in an overwhelming shroud of relentless dirge that you have no chance of escaping from. It isn't just the power of opening track "Solar Chamber" that surrounds you, it is the emotion as well. It is a complete immersion into a world of sorrow so heavy you struggle to breath, into a realm of otherworldly grief and sadness so vast and expansive that your sobs of anguish are lost in the cavernous darkness about you.
As track two picks its way into your conscious the awareness of the depths of the "Chasms" into which you have fallen becomes apparent. Using build to perfection Lycus construct a fathomless universe of ethereal beauty before crushing your very soul with the oppressive yet entrancing misery on display. In the last 12 months I can only think of Bell Witch who have presented anything similar in terms of sheer power of delivery. Here in comparison there is melody to temper the weight of the riffs and chanted vocals to add yet more atmosphere with their eerie delivery.
By the time you hit track 3 (the shortest at a shade under 7 and a half minutes) you have question whether or not this can all be absorbed in one sitting. However, this is where "Chasms" excellent compositions and arrangements really come into their own. As "Mirage" starts proper that cello from the previous track fades in like some spirit from a crestfallen widow. It isn't a direct continuation of arrangement from the previous track it is more subtle than that. It is the thread leading out of the maze of torment and melancholy, it is an evident benchmark of the extraordinary use of pace within this monolithically slow (at times) record. Then from nowhere we have furious BM blasting dropped deep into the mix to have just enough presence to be heard yet not takeover the track and distract from the pace entirely.
"Obsidian Eyes" makes an unapologetic entry as it thunders in dragging melancholic riffs with it like the heads of dead enemies. It settles into its assured and determined slog effortlessly, harrowing melodies pick at your ears like carrion crows at a carcass. Again, the depth achieved within 12 minutes plus is staggering and the journey you travel along is no less harsh than it is rewarding.
"Chasms" is superb, don't let anyone else intimate otherwise to you. Even in January I can safely say that this will be a serious contender in 2016s' end of year list. It has been 2 and a half years since Lycus dropped "Tempest" and it is safe to say that every last minute of the wait to get to "Chasms" was worth it.
5/5
Check out purchase options here.
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