Black Metal History Month- Ad Omega :" Aphelic Ascent"

They crash into the album with a great deal of dissonant dark fury, will this make for a good album throughout? Mmm not likely. That is what I come upon with most extreme metal bands of all the various genres that might be applied to. These guys at least show me pretty early on they can slither into different moods. The vocals are the one fixed element 0f their sound, on the first track. The second song "Profane Mystic Crown" works off similar fury and leans into the mood just enough to distinguish it from the previous song. Which is pretty much a bare minimum for what I am looking for here, but it is still working unless they decide to reduce things to a blast fest. 

They have set themselves apart from the other Italian bands by bringing a more feral chaos to the party, but this sometimes becomes noise and it not the best example of songwriting. One of the album's best moments is the instrumental interlude. "Stellar Heritage" rages in the expected ways. There is some cool drumming in places, but how can a metal band not have cool drumming? Things do get more sonically melodic on "the Bitterest Heart" which feels like they put some effort into the arrangement. The song flows really well.

The drummer continues to shine on "Triumph of Void". The vocals are at a stagnant roar. I have been able to block them out so far on this album. They are more obligatory. This is one of those band's whose occult message is supposed to be such an important part of who they are as a band, but if you can not understand the lyrics them in makes the whole thing null. The dissonance and darkness they have going on is worthwhile In terms of songwriting they are treading stagnant water , it is a dense sonic slab moving in place. I will however give this album an 8 as they do prove earlier they are capable they are just not always consistent and get caught up in the buzz of their own heaviness , but there is an audience who is into that .