2024-01-15 08:00:17
(c) Neil Da Costa
Almost five years ago we decided Lord Dying for a refined musical and thematic direction that should make the familiar stoner sludge sound a whole lot more progressive. “Mysterium Tremendum” ultimately became the start of a trilogy that deals intensively with death. While the record in question introduced the immortal character ‘The Dreamer’, who desperately wanted to die, she is met „Clandestine Transcedence“ this wish has now been fulfilled.
The thundering drums of “I Am Nothing I Am Everything” set the tone. Second on this album, manic menace comes through here. Typical sludge elements meet a hellish descent that surprises with psychedelic undertones – just a black metallic blink of an eye away from Oranssi Pazuzu. The way the US quartet rolls out manic pressure waves with tortured guitar work is good, accompanied by a completely crazy finish. This in turn leads directly into “Unto Becoming”, whose clear vocals come across as proggy and rocky as they rarely are. Combined with furious snarliness, this crazy powerhouse lands the next direct hit.
At the other end of the album, Lord Dying uncompromisingly expands their sound and appears calmer than ever. “Swimming In The Absence” surprises with ballad-like features that perfectly fit the mood of the grave – ponderous, oppressive, torpedoing all the senses at the same time. “The Endless Road Home” also attempts to be thoughtful in the same way and steers more than ever towards the stadium, albeit resting on muddy foundations. Little by little the thing collapses. The band from Portland, Oregon also skilfully exploits the long format. “Dancing On The Emptiness” is a real giant that pleasantly surprises with classic prog rock suspense and playful interludes.
And yet you never think regarding saying goodbye to familiar stoner sludge sounds, especially in the voluminous middle section. With a playing time of just under an hour, Lord Dying has plenty of scope to experiment with increasing enthusiasm. More rock than ever, a lot of demands, but also rough riffs and real psychological terror come together. It was previously said that the hard parts on “Clandestine Transcendence” were more brutal than ever, while the quieter parts were even more melodic. What sounds like a standard phrase actually fits like a glove here – a marvel of extremes that there is certainly no getting around.
Rating: 8/10
Available from: January 19, 2024
Available via: MNRK Heavy (SPV)
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LordDying
Category: Magazin, Reviews
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#Lord #Dying #Clandestine #Transcendence
