The dementia of containment coupled with the uncertainty of the future beyond horrifying blight comes envisioned as an impossibly deep subterranean maze as Aspropyrgos, Greece-based dissonant death metal solo act KVADRAT takes its chilling drink of the Lethe, glazes over at the eyes and relents to the infectious horror of decaying futurity on this impressive debut full-length album. Depicting sensorial overload in the face of certain doom ‘The Horrible Dissonance of Oblivion‘ is as much an anxietous nightmare as it is a sleekly realized walk from despairing declaration to irreverent, nakedly convulsed mental dissolution. In passage through its perfectionist’s mental abysm this oft challenging work manages to hold fast to its engagement of the ear with familiar tonal reach yet just enough emergent and thoughtful expression to manage a memorable and stylized experience worth repeating.

Every aspect of Kvadrat has come by way of I.A. (Συντριμμια) since the project was conceived in 2015 and this includes songcraft, performances, programming, engineering, render, all artwork and layout, and he even goes as far as making his own videos. The one aspect of ‘The Horrible Dissonance of Oblivion‘ which he’d not handled this time around is smartly key mastering from Dan Lowndes of Resonance Sound Studios. In the past, specifically for the ‘Ψ​Υ​Χ​Ι​Κ​Η Α​Π​Ο​Σ​Υ​Ν​Θ​Ε​Σ​Η‘ mLP back in some additional vocals had been contributed by other folks (Samer A., Pain) at point where the sound of the band was ruptured madness on the level of Serpent Column per their first single “Απομόνωση” (2021) before the aforementioned mLP took a more dramatic tone to balance out the harried chaos tendency felt at the project’s inception. At that point the obvious comparison to make was perhaps Ulcerate or perhaps the second Ad Nauseam album, on vaguest terms.

The man in the box. — Barking into the cold air from an obsidian pulpit, either stationary or wounded to the point of immobility Kvadrat command from a place of great perspective though they’ve largely provided downtrodden and pummeled statement to broadcast, crushed beneath overloaded senses and the nihil available to one’s lingering unassigned purpose. Beyond existential dread there is of course a wildly ambitious stroke of defiance upheld within the larger complaint issued upon the darkening skies which frame their point of vantage but the bigger picture will not come together until we’ve become fully fixated in the second half of the full listen. What knack this fellow has lead with thus far, ~6 minute dissonant blackened death metal pieces with moderne arrangements in harried sometimes brutally slapped-through pacing, is what we are given in pressing through the first five songs ‘The Horrible Dissonance of Oblivion‘ provides. In petition for order and relief the atmospheric grasping of opener “Υπόγειος Λαβύρινθος” showcases the singular voice of I.A. at a barking yet growled register which is upheld for the bulk of the full listen. The aggressive spectacle of this opener is impressive enough but didn’t quite earn its hovering station in mind ’til the sprawling, tracer-chasing circular rants of “-4°C” balanced things out with the first of a few “post-metallic” rides taken, suggesting a distinctly modern piece of blackened death metal which I’d imagine would be an intense crowd pleaser in performance per its difficult tonal shifts, turns taken throughout.

Without intending to be too reductive down to familiar forms up front I’d suggest just two or three songs into the full listen the semblance of earlier Suffering Hour and Ulcerate might be superficial but the effect is strong. This should be enough to sell most fans of this style on the fluidic immerse of this record, it’d certainly captivated during previews and soaked my skull during more intense listening sessions at higher volumes. Of course cranking this album on large speakers will also reveal the machinery of the drums more than intended and I’d generally suggest a good pair of over-ear headphones (certainly not earbuds) will serve this album’s sound design best. As we move on to Side B beyond the first four or so pieces the energy has already begun to drag a bit per the less dynamic pulse of “Σηπτική Ανυπαρξία” as the first main phase of the full listen culminates with “Γυάλινα Μάτια”, probably the best representative piece up front and a shot of energy when stepping into the second half. Otherwise a quick glance at the running order and song lengths therein should indicate an involved finale per two ~9 minute pieces closing the album. These are naturally the suggested depth of the full listen, carrying the most atmospheric heft and exploratory compositions beyond the steam-rolled six minute throttling of the first half.

Much as I enjoyed the tumultuous declarations which’d kicked off Side A a song like “Η Φρικτή Δυσαρμονία της Λήθης” expresses much more effective feeling through its patient touch as the moodiness of the album shifts from a petitioned complaint to fully dissolved fortitude ’til the dementia of the experience (“Ολική Αποσύνθεση”) provides the necessary grand finale. The grim, cold distance of the machine mind is at its most intimate point of reveal during these final two pieces and I’d say this is where Kvadrat finally begin to stand out as an extension of the self rather than yet another fresh take on a well-plumbed style of modern avant-garde death metal action. Otherwise Side B generally succeeds as a point of destination, a final pooling together which gives the ear a natural endpoint which is satisfying and pointedly different than where we’d began. This is all the more impressive when given to repeat listens as the step from finale back to the opening sequence provides a level of tonal contrast which is complimentary, recalling the greater journey taken within each spin.

‘The Horrible Dissonance of Oblivion‘ is tormented in a personal, humanized way that doesn’t always match up with the gear-like grinding of the (well) programmed drums on this recording, giving a stiff neck to an otherwise wild handed undertaking. Though this level of composure does wonders for the refinement of experience I can’t help but feel as if the singularity of this vision is both help and hindrance from its potential realization. Of course a proper session drummer might’ve taken this album to another level but maintaining a certain level of control and independence seems to fit within the detainment and overall detachment felt when taking a lens to every aspect of the Kvadrat experience, it is evocative as an experience nonetheless. With the strong dynamic of the running order, a crisp render, and singular vision deployed I’d ultimately come to appreciate this debut LP from the project as remarkably intense but never so taxing that I’d hesitated to pick it up for another listen. A moderately high recommendation.

---