Deathspell Omega- Paracletus
The Distilled Essence of Malevolent Divinity
The Distilled Essence of Malevolent Divinity
The final chapter of Deathspell Omegas album trilogy has been realized in the form of Paracletus. It is, to put it quite simply, amazing, a monumental construction of darkness, dissonance, and at times, even beauty.
Deathspell Omegas trilogy exploring Satan, God, and Man began when Si Monumentum Requires, Circumspice (SMRC) blasted onto the scene in 2004, a completely new incarnation in respect to their previous works, which were raw, repetitive black metal. Then came Fas- Ite, Maledicti, In Ignem Aeternum in 2007, taking the metal world completely by surprise with its avant-garde abrasiveness, and its machine-like intensity.
Nothing prepared me for the experience of listening to Fas, not even the mighty Obscura by the Canadian band Gorguts, the technical death metal masterpiece long prized for its weirdness and chaos. Fas was a sonic odyssey through darkness, a long fall into the abyss, dragging the listener to the brink of madness along the way. Yes, Deathspell Omega left typical black metal behind a long time ago, endeavoring to craft music never before imagined; they have succeeded.
A handful of splits and EPs were released in between different chapters of the trilogy, furthering the exploration of sound they have undergone, and it was one of these which originally introduced me to Deathspell Omega. I picked up Veritas Diaboli Manet in Aeternum- Chaining the Katechon shortly after it came out in 2008, having heard a lot of things about the band that aroused my interest: they lacked of an official website, the only known member is vocalist Mikko Aspa, because his voice is so recognizable. They prefer anonymity, and let their music and lyrics speak for themselves.
Chaining the Katechon showcased Deathspells intense dissonant sound, and their thick, spiteful atmosphere; for whatever reason though I just couldnt get into it at first. Later I acquired SMRC, which really struck a chord with me, and I officially began my journey into the darkness of Deathspell Omega.
It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God!
Now, at last, we come to Paracletus. Like the other chapters of the trilogy, the title is Latin, and the word Paracletus is most commonly used to refer to the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity. It is a worthy continuation of their great experiment, almost like a cauldron into which all that has been learned on the journey thus far has been poured, and out has come this dripping new entity. The complex, dissonant riffing and cyclonic drumming of Fas are present, as well as new elements of melody.
The voice of Mikko Aspa as always cuts venomously through the mix, dripping with malice and spiteful clamor. The vocals are much more varied on Paracletus than in the past works, which becomes evident very quickly; the spoken word passages in French, mad whisperings, piercing shrieks, and untamed, desperate yelling in addition to Mikkos trademark growls really add flavor to the tracks.
The album is divided into 10 songs, only a couple extending past six minutes, a departure from the very long track style of Fas and Kénôse; but the songs still flow into each other as if they could have been arranged as such.
The album opens with Epiklesis I, a short track, also faster than I expected as a first song, starting the journey at a brisk stroll. Both First Prayer and Obombration on the previous two records were slower, more drawn out introductions. Already we can see the use of repetition with this track, something that was displayed very little in the linear construction of Fas and other works since SMRC.
Beautiful lead guitar lines are highlights of tracks like Wings of Predation and Epiklesis II, riding starkly above sections of both tempest and calm, beauty that I dont think Ive before witnessed in Deathspell Omega. There are so many great moments in this album, its nigh unbelievable; moments of reeling fever, moments of furious intensity, dizzying, demented guitars, moments when the rhythm section emerges and the growling bass rises above the fray like never before.
Songs like Phosphene, Have You Beheld the Fevers, and Devouring Famine are epic, blasting, abrasive manifestations of true insanity, at times broken by spells of solemn, hypnotic and mournful passages.
The closer, Apokatastasis Pantôn, starts with the same guitar line as Epiklesis II until the last words of the album are spoken:
You were seeking strength, justice, splendour! You were seeking love!
Here is the pit, here is your pit! Its name is SILENCE
The guitar work is simply beautiful afterwards, mostly simple tremolo picked lines, a more traditional sound, seldom heard in Deathspell anymore. It all combines to craft an incredibly epic four minutes, the bass plodding mournfully alongside the drums, all the while the guitars rising and rising; it feels as though youre about to reach the crest, the climax and it falls away, just out of reach. The journey is over.
Looking over the trilogy as a whole, I feel almost as though on this odyssey of increasing madness, we have emerged somehow with sense of coherence and sanity. The inevitable embrace of the Abyss is accepted.
It is senseless to fight against this infinite stream
Behind this threshold life exhausts itself, loses itself
