DHWESHA - Sthoopa

September 19, 2014, 9 years ago

(Dunkelheit Produktionen)

Greg Pratt

Rating: 8.0

review black death dhwesha

DHWESHA - Sthoopa

This is some murk-ridden death metal, the vibe on opener 'Sattva Bali' right off the bat going to places only Incantation demo tapes dare to go, the sludge caking over my eyes, the vocals seeping down my arm in the dark while I'm laying in bed thinking about Incantation demos, ugh, it's awesome. But wart is this that lurks before me? Melody? And not Immolation anti-melody, as you might expect, but rather some colourful lead guitar playing that spices things up with some interesting, and unexpectedly uplifting, sounds. It's a huge gamble, and it works. The band, who hail from India, use their surroundings to their advantage, throwing in chord changes that you just wouldn't hear from a USDM band (see 'Yuddhabhumi' or the title track's melodies and smart dynamics; killer stuff); it never sounds gimmicky, though, as it does so often when bands attempt this sort of thing. Anyway, seriously killer opening tune there, and at 6:28, that's saying a lot. The rest of the 41-minute album similarly pummels and surprises, the excellent, nasty production so deep in the mud that the melodies that burst out of it, in wholly unpredictable and much-appreciated non-cloying ways, just shine so hard it hurts. The sludgey DM hurts, too. Damn, it just all hurts, and it's all so good. Once you've gotten bored of your Incantation and Immolation albums (haha, just kidding, never happens to me either) and you're looking for the next new thing after Dead Congregation, Sthoopa is a highly recommended next-level drop down into the sewers.



Featured Video

KELEVRA - "The Distance"

KELEVRA - "The Distance"

Latest Reviews