ALBUM REVIEW: Dødsferd – Diseased Remnants Of A Dying World

Here I review the new Dødsferd which is out in December on Transcending Obscurity Records. Greek Black Metal always has such a unique sound to it, so I am very much looking forward to this one!

1. My Father, My Wrath! starts things off with some ambient sampling and atmospheric guitars that create a beautiful and dark atmosphere that feels like something really bleak yet powerful is coming for you. Overall the mix retains the raw edge while actually being really effective production wise for Black Metal. The depressing vibe of the track is really intense yet also tranquil in its own way. The guitar has some lovely vibrato and sustain to the lead sections that just soar gorgeously through everything. The folky acoustic guitars with chorus infused clean electric guitar really builds a nice atmosphere that continues further into the bleak vision the song has been setting throughout. This is something really interesting and unique with an enticingly rich soundscape being created so meticulously. Clean vocals are the first type of vocal on the album which add such a sombre and melancholic touch that is so powerful and heartfelt. A stunningly cathartic growth that really brings the piece to life. More upbeat sections create a convulsive attack that is relatively mellow but certainly adds a nice punch before once more cascading us with hugely sorrowful ambience that is just so perfectly established by the drawn out musical phenomena that is unfolding. An excellent opening track.
2. An Existence Without Purpose fires right in with screams and very bleak, atmospheric riffs without warning. The blast beats punctuating the chaotic assault very forcefully. The melodic approach is somewhat like Sargeist while the groovy bends more reminiscent of Inquisition, both bands I love. There is some absolutely killer songwriting here that conjures up so much raw emotion and is antagonising to listen to in a very positive manner. The drums, riffs and bass lines are incredibly powerful while the scarcer vocal use really adds so much tearing depravity to the sound. The obvious emotion to go to for this sound is depressive but there is also a really noticeable aggression in the vocals that is a nice contradiction. Some of the more drawn out and bleak parts have a Happy Days vibe to them (the band, not the TV show). The howled / shouted section is so powerful before leading into a dissonant blur of emotion, absolutely intense and unrelenting. I am loving how well the band transition between different sections and levels of intensity without losing momentum or the song feeling discontinuous or jarring. The more upbeat sections are incredibly catchy and add a more uplifting feel to things, there are so many unpredictable twists to the song which makes it very enjoyable to witness things come together. Evidently filled with tons of passion, this was a beautifully varied piece of music with so much power behind it.
3. Diseased Remnants Of A Dying World continues the journey with intense drum rhythms and a once more bleaker atmosphere on the guitar and bass sections. There is a melancholic folk vibe to the music mixing modern and old school Black Metal elements very nicely too. The title of the song (and album) itself is incredibly poetic and graciously dark, this song has the task of living up to that. The soaring leads which are intensely soulful and gruesome vocals really sound excellent, before the song fades out to this very groovy riff and dissonant vocals/guitar combination, a really interesting sound for sure. There is a discomforting feel to the music that then flows into beautiful acoustic guitars which I certainly did not expect. The haunting ambience of the song flows from section to section gorgeously and the vocals sound so pained, brilliant stuff. The very Shining sounding riffs are superb and really catchy with a mournfulness mixed in with some upbeat kicks that just works perfectly. I think other than the fantastic songwriting the most impressive thing about this music is how damn emotive it is, I love that, especially in Black Metal as I have said in previous reviews. The eerie leads are a great addition to the already humid intensity of the piece, feeling both monolithic and claustrophobic at the same time. Some really momentous and awesome music. Great work!
4. Loyal To The Black Oath follows up with more grisly atmospheres and a pristine upbeat feel to them that also doesn’t miss out on having some attack too. Once more soaring leads complete the huge, roomy ambience of the music which all comes together as one beautiful soundscape. The screeched vocals remind me of Nattramn from Silencer, who are one of my favourite bands so I certainly approve of that. The way they are used with simpler drums, lead and acoustic guitars makes them stand out so much more harshly than as part of a full on Black Metal assault. The pain in the vocals mixed with the melancholic instrumentals is just so profound and intense, very much enjoyed that. The song has an overall quite uncomfortable feeling but is also somehow very easy to listen to, there is plenty of contradiction in the music which gives it a uniquely interesting diversity, also explaining my self-contradicting statements somewhat. The whammy dives were’t how I expected a solo to come in but I thought they sounded really cool, a very 80s thing to utilise. This song overall has a pretty strong march to it that is coupled with such depressive elements that everything seems to be included but more importantly is made to flow together beautifully. A stunning piece of depressive, bleak Black Metal with some nice Psychonaut 4 vibes scattered in for good measure.
5. Back To My Homeland… My Last Breath ends the album, which I think needs a strong sense of closure after a journey that emotional. Starting off with sampled clock ticking and strings that add a nice eeriness especially with the occasional screams, a pretty creepy beginning is how to begin this last song. Overall the piece is actually really peaceful other than the screams with some powerful sounding spoken sections, but there is also such a sense of foreboding, after all this album has had so many unexpected twists who knows how it will end? The piece flows on with a ghostly strength and truly evil vibe to it, it’s simplistic but damn intense and a cool way to finish the album!

This album was incredible. A journey into depravity and darkness with tons of varied, diverse and sheerly beautiful music. The band work incredibly well at conjuring a stunningly depressive atmosphere but adding some forceful menace to things as well. An incredible and passionately cathartic release, absolutely fantastic! -7.5/10