Fallen aback into an expanse of their own creation once more Lyon, France-based atmospheric black metal duo DYSYLUMN aim for potency on this fourth full-length album wielding an even deeper set of post-black informed gyrifications this time around. With sharpened production values and some deeper nuanced movement set up front ‘Abstraction‘ is less a challenge of divergence as much as it is a twist in the formula that has served them well thus far. As such this won’t be a drastic realignment of their two-headed cohortation but a refinement which extends the knack of the two previous releases into a work which is more immediately expressive and succinct in its delivery.

Dysylumn was formed back in 2010 by way of guitarist/bassist and vocalist Sébastien B. (Ominous Shrine, Abyssal Vacuum) and drummer Camille Olivier F.B. (Y | I | Y) who’ve more recently collaborated on another atmospheric black metal side project, Bacchus to similar results. Although their work was perhaps linked to some abstraction of blackened death metal at an early stage their focus has been upon a unique form of heavily iterative atmospheric black metal for their last several releases. You might recall an outrageously long review I’d written for their outrageously long double LP (‘Cosmogenie‘, 2020) several years ago where the best way I can sum those thoughts today is that we were perhaps too privy to their workflow and consistency to see the forest from the trees. A full ~81 minute three part opus is nothing to sneeze at, though, and I’d appreciated the ambitious journey of their work even if it felt like they’d pondered all magickry available into dust by the time it’d ended.

For this latest album Dysylumn haven’t changed their course, they’ve taken on neither the more accessible nor unfathomable traits of their associated bands in the interim and instead the tunneling search available to ‘Cosmogenie‘ is essentially re-opened to a next chapter herein. With that said there were smaller nodules of dark metal and depressive black metal lushness on that previous album which are better condensed within ‘Abstraction‘ and this’ll be noticeable enough from the first pass through as a generally more connective stance. Otherwise production values have brightened per their use of dual guitar tones which now achieve shimmering standards alongside drums which find their pocket within a still realistic but condensed impact. This only enhances their floatier reaches into the abyss (re: “Abstraction II”) as the five-part album shirks any too obviate fanfare in favor of picking up as if the conversation had never stopped (“Abstraction I”.)

The warbling returns of opener “Abstraction I” are moreso infused with wonderment than malevolence, at least as their greater vacuum of trailing thresh builds its allure. By the time we’ve fallen into the despairing self-ejection of “Abstraction III” the vocals begin to bear a less frequent but howling sort of edge, turning to a growl as their verses intensify. Once again the immersive value of Dysylumn‘s work is without question on my part, this is prime mind-wandering atmospheric black metal delve in that regard, though from my point of view they’re rushing to the “point” or a central mode/motif more quickly and this allows for songs which uphold their tendency toward ~6-7 minute movements but with some extra intensity. I won’t say these are all sporting the most sophisticated or unheard-of motions (some post-black warbling uplift included) but the tides generally shift and swell more often.

While I’d enjoyed the return to Dysylumn‘s realm under new envision I’d suggest that not only is all connected but that the second half of the experience, “Abstraction IV” and “Abstraction V” offer a destination for Side A‘s passage into this latest realm. The deeper growled and bleak howled pining of the vocals on “Abstraction IV” feel like a strong push towards emotional expression, again nothing so out of bounds but performances which become a feature or the piece as it flails within its deeply introverted spiraling. As a destination, or, stopping point “Abstraction V” should rightfully carry some redundant techniques up front but eventually shores into a forward echoic expanse marked by continued flexion of Sébastien B.‘s vocal ouevre and this is where I’d felt the “payoff” for patience throughout this actually fairly reasonable ~37 minute record was. With that said I don’t know if the guitar work finds its grand finale or any sort of point of revelation otherwise.

Though I’d found the lustre of ‘Abstraction‘ entertaining per its consistency and directive movement the arrangements themselves once again feel pulled from a pool of non-specificity and threaded into a series of post-metallic compositions rather than any sort of “rock” or metal alignment. This offers a wild tunnel to fall within but doesn’t offer any sly enough use of repetition or melody to pull me back in for any one given moment. Dysylumn‘ve mastered their own array of movements and arranged them into a successfully compelling set though the variety available hasn’t budged much since ‘Occultation‘ back in 2018 and at this point the realm they are illustrating almost begs for expansion, however that might manifest. Taken as is, I’d found this fourth LP from the band a good reminder of their high standard of craft and appreciated the much improved focus on sound design which offers both crispness and expanse enough to generate some additional wonder. A moderately high recommendation.

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