It is appropriate that Netherwards takes the listener to a dark place. It does not appear to be a concept album, loosely or otherwise. What we have is a listening experience that concentrates on atmosphere but delivers a surprisingly melodic set of songs in a way that is not completely expected.
The combination of death and doom is not one I'm terribly familiar with. Theoretically, the combination of aesthetics would seem to work well. In practice, however, what we seem to get most often is music with bad pacing and precious little excitement. There are plenty of slow tempos, but not much in the way of excitement, odd time signatures, or much of any syncopation.
Anhedonist sidesteps the above rather artfully. Their solution, aside from being a bit more judicious with the death metal aesthetics, is to add a dose of melody. Normally, this would be a terrible idea. After all, what makes metal interesting (most of the time) is the rhythm. Melody is usually a secondary consideration, if it is considered at all.
Combined with the atmosphere the music naturally oozes, the melody becomes something quite powerful. The songs tend not to move forward when the melodies are being played, other than the ongoing count of time that hastens them to their conclusion, but it is something to sit and listen to it unfold. Repetition is key here as well. In order to get their point across, the melodic sections of "Estrangement" and "Inherent Opprobrium" are repeated numerous times.
The other two tracks, opener "Saturnine" and "Carne Liberatus" (the shortest of the four at a mere five minutes) operate with death metal in mind. They are still doomy in parts, but the balance skews toward a faster pace and slightly more emphasis on rhythmic guitar playing as opposed to melodic. I don't think these two songs will be confused with Cannibal Corpse or Dying Fetus, but they fit with their compatriots in spirit if nothing else.
Netherwards manages to sound understated and completely overwhelming at the same time. And though it takes me to a dark place, it is a journey that I welcome as an alternative to the more bouncy, free-wheeling death metal of bands like Astomatous and Tribulation (whom I love just as much, if not more). There must be room for ugliness in death and doom; Anhedonist provides it, along with a dash of the uplifting, in spades.
The combination of death and doom is not one I'm terribly familiar with. Theoretically, the combination of aesthetics would seem to work well. In practice, however, what we seem to get most often is music with bad pacing and precious little excitement. There are plenty of slow tempos, but not much in the way of excitement, odd time signatures, or much of any syncopation.
Anhedonist sidesteps the above rather artfully. Their solution, aside from being a bit more judicious with the death metal aesthetics, is to add a dose of melody. Normally, this would be a terrible idea. After all, what makes metal interesting (most of the time) is the rhythm. Melody is usually a secondary consideration, if it is considered at all.
Combined with the atmosphere the music naturally oozes, the melody becomes something quite powerful. The songs tend not to move forward when the melodies are being played, other than the ongoing count of time that hastens them to their conclusion, but it is something to sit and listen to it unfold. Repetition is key here as well. In order to get their point across, the melodic sections of "Estrangement" and "Inherent Opprobrium" are repeated numerous times.
The other two tracks, opener "Saturnine" and "Carne Liberatus" (the shortest of the four at a mere five minutes) operate with death metal in mind. They are still doomy in parts, but the balance skews toward a faster pace and slightly more emphasis on rhythmic guitar playing as opposed to melodic. I don't think these two songs will be confused with Cannibal Corpse or Dying Fetus, but they fit with their compatriots in spirit if nothing else.
Netherwards manages to sound understated and completely overwhelming at the same time. And though it takes me to a dark place, it is a journey that I welcome as an alternative to the more bouncy, free-wheeling death metal of bands like Astomatous and Tribulation (whom I love just as much, if not more). There must be room for ugliness in death and doom; Anhedonist provides it, along with a dash of the uplifting, in spades.
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