Obulus – Lament 10” (The Flenser)

Here’s another recent find that literally hypnotized me through its throbbing ambient black metal suicidal/depressive psychosis. There’s definite similarities to Xasthur, Velvet Cacoon, Altar of Plagues, etc. , but upon further listening with any of these crimson washed drugged out sounding shrieks of anguish, there’s always a unique atmosphere and direction in each one so if you’re rolling your eyes and thinking “Oh God not this again, I want Fire and Brimstone” then pass on this, but if you’re into the untranquil disturbingly introspective black psychedelia and it’s suffocatingly heavy distortion of both sound and reality then Obolus is a must.

“Desolation” is an intense and evocative opening song that sets the mood for despair and solitude that begins as a fiery attack that wavers into a more melodic and ethereal atmosphere without letting up on the pulsing rhythms. Defintiely some druggy depressive haze with this one.

“Hatred” veers away from the dreamlike/altered states vibe and goes straight for the jugular with almost motorized buzzing riff assaults and percussive battery full of aggression but still very ghostly. Nothing droning or melodic here, just some serious bloodletting and frustration told to angular disharmonies and repetitive percussive clanking.

“Grievance” comes back in strong and violent like a spasm of lunacy and bitterness with melody, but the mood is hostile and, although still very filmy and smoky in atmosphere, this one really balances out “Hatred” and ties back in with “Desolation” completing a series of events/thoughts come full circle form “fucked” to ‘Fucking someone/something else” instead.

There are four songs total that altogether when inhaled resemble a heavy humid vapor in the air that challenges your lungs a bit, sort of like a partial dry drowning as you swallow a specter. There’s a lot to ingest here in just four songs, the second one “Reflection” is a 2-minute instrumental that on its own doesn’t do too much except connect the first and third song.

Fans of Forteresse, Krohm, Xasthur, and Nachtmystium Instinct Decay definitely want to hear this one.

http://theflenser.com/

http://obolusband.bandcamp.com/