OK, so this is a rather daunting proposition – one 19-minute track bringing together the raw, bass-heavy black metal obscurity of Beglium’s Alkerdeel with the sickening noisescapes of Gnaw Their Tongues. It’s certainly an intriguing idea – Alkerdeel have been fermenting away in the European underground for a while now, gaining an increasing reputation for their unique brand of sludgy, haunting black metal. As for Maurice de Jong (aka Gnaw Their Tongues), little introduction is needed – hugely prolific and notorious for delivering releases of relentless unpleasantness, filth and depravity. There’s no way that a fusion of these two acts is going to be anything other than a drawn-out journey into darkness and dementia so it’s with a genuine sense of trepidation that this listener hit the ‘play’ button.
It begins ominously enough – distant clanking noises, strange synth reverberations and unusual ambiences gradually usher us into their world. Vocals explode forth from the mist, gurgling shrieks laced with distortion as a heavily distorted bass guitar intones a doleful, funereal ode. We’re barely five minutes in and already the atmosphere is cloying, dank, suffocating. The soundscape is reminiscent of Thralldom’s bleaker moments, weighty bass and despairing, almost inhuman vocals.
Just as it seems as if one can take no more, the ‘main’ part of the track crashes in on a wave of clattering percussion and swarming guitars. The bass continues to anchor the music, meandering in a strident fashion under a scything hail of riffs. Speaking of which, this material is actually surprisingly melodic, the guitars carving arcs of reflective despond. All the while, the vocals continue to howl like a wounded animal across the clattering churn.
There are some great riffs packed into this section for sure – this release may only be 19-odd minutes long but it’s clear the collaborators have spent plenty of time to ensure each section hits home with the desired impact. The final movement of this lengthy passage of fury plays out over a melancholic, hypnotising two-chord motif that gives way to the calm AFTER the storm. Several minutes of eerie synth noise that gradually winds down to usher us into oblivion. And silence.
I’m not sure who is responsible for what on ‘Dyodo Asema’ and I’m not really sure I want to know. Clearly, the coherence and creative spark demonstrated on this track indicates two artists with visions very much in alignment. An interesting release and certainly hard work but for the brave, this is ultimately a satisfying delve into a harrowing, textured soundscape.
(8/10 Frank Allain)
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