Set well beyond the point of shock and deep within the corporeal resignation of a traumatized mind Eisenach, Germany-based psychedelic doom/sludge metal duo VAST PYRE adjust their vision to peer through the cataract-fogged eyes of the soon-dead for this noisome, pain-built bray of a sophomore full-length album. ‘II: Bleak‘ finds the band generating their own dejected demesne wherein the typically lush psychedelia-infused fringes of doom metal are traded for morbid, unsettling and harshened tones. Though there is some challenge in following these folks through their slowly crushed-out motioning it shouldn’t be enough to drive away folks who appreciate the extremity of experimental sludge metal and the existential dread available to traditional doom metal in extremis.

Vast Pyre formed as a duo in late 2021 who’d suggest their goals align with doom metal enforcing both minimalism and menace in its craft. They’d opted for a full-length out the gates via ‘Vast Pyre‘ (2024) which presented as a stretch of ~ten minute droning sludge-toned psychedelic doom metal pieces awash in their own drowned and miserable search through both tradition and groaning abstraction. Raw, menacing snarls and clean-yet-despairing narration from Ch. Wallstein, a former live drummer for Eremit, lent their debut compelling enough character in the realm of stoner/sludge affected doom. It were a buzzing rocket fueled by dark matter, careening toward an unknown target, building tension as each piece droned and/or jammed past sans conclusory statement. The dire tone of ‘Vast Pyre‘ was its strength while it wasn’t necessarily memorable tune-for-tune, with most pieces dragging along at similar pace and ranting into the void throughout. I’d enjoyed the sheer despair of it all but wanted more in the way of either the riff, or their dark psychedelic abstraction. This new album delivers both, more-or-less.

‘II: Bleak‘ couldn’t be considered plain iteration in any sense but they have generally recreated similar parameters and conditions for this record wherein long-form ~9-10 minute psychedelic doom metal songs are treated with despairing vocal temperament and given to some manner of anguished resonance within their unfurl. In this way the duo’s work carries some similarities to the experimental hand of Swedes Acolytes of Moros, as we find on both opener “Begotten” and follow-up “Tenebrosity’s Path” where subtlety and some experimentation help to create a darker-pooling, droning event. The whole of the opener sounds as if it is crumbling through Vast Pyre‘s hands even as it warms to a roll in its last ~3-4 minutes, creating a palpable sense of disarray and, well, bleakness in its greyed-out slurry of movement. These songs don’t necessarily carry the listener into a realm of Scandinavian doom normalcy outright but instead let feedback ring and guitar effects warble, creating a distraught hum across each radiation drenched, slow-built riff. It all rings with an “off” and broken sensation to start, carrying the exaggerative patience of earlier Conan but given to an introverted, distraught sensation rather than primitive warrior creed.

Granted, the unbearable ring of amp feedback lasting through the -entire- eleven minutes of “Begotten” is probably diabolic enough to drive away all but the most brain-damaged among us, creating the maddening sensation of tinnitus alongside an echoic slow-drowning doom metal piece. This seems to be part of Vast Pyre‘s efforts to differentiate even more via noisome, harshened environment. As we’ll find further down their spiral with “Beneath the Surface”, a segue into another three minutes of ear bleeding guitar feedback, this ringing eerie becomes part of their signature sans the lead guitar work from J.-P. Peter on the first LP; With that said the actual guitar tones used for rhythmic movement are less stoney (more sludgy?) in their buzz and now move toward a “classics” era doom metal tone which we find kicks off standout piece “The Untold”. This is arguably the best rounded and coherently arranged song on either of their albums, a piece which upholds their despairing hand yet finds a place to insert boiling guitar effects and a lumbering riff atop (more) screaming feedback. Beyond that point closer “Perdition Fatal” opts out of haunting the listener with more feedback by way of guitarist A. Först but instead brings a solid enough set of riffs, losing none of the sensation of building cruelty as ‘II: Bleak‘ drags on ’til the end.

Though they might’ve gone overboard, or, underthought in their exploration of noisome feedback on these recordings Vast Pyre have created appreciably hellish, downtrodden gloom in droves via ‘II: Bleak‘. Sure it has a certain tumbling ride to a few key movements but as their work primarily endeavors to capture the sensation of palpably miserable yet unreal sojourn through the mind and within this focus they’ve curried up far more character than their somewhat assuming debut. While it’ll be a challenging listen for the impatient by default, and sure to scorch a few ears away with its wild use of ringing feedback for atmosphere, these choices only add to the tension and personality available, bringing an unsettling trauma to all these folks touch. A moderately high recommendation.

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