Proffering introspection as a vehicle for relief beyond the apocalyptic distention of the self Lyon, France-based psychedelic post-doom metal quartet OCCULT HAND ORDER transmit their parsing of psychic reconstruction via this well-polished sophomore full-length album. Built from modern tastes in psychedelia and post-rock framed expanse ‘Meaningless Monuments‘ offers solemn, solitary point of view given to lushly frothing atmospheric heave wherein intimacy includes just as potent points of wrath. In most practical terms their uncanny linkage of proggy psychedelic doom and post-metal dynamic makes for a surreal, dire experience which is yet connective above all else.

Occult Hand Order formed as a trio circa 2018 and quickly got to work on their first EP (‘Occult Hand Order‘, 2019) a bluesier, soulful-yet-spaced stoner metal record unique to their discography. Their whole dynamic would shift per follow-up (‘The Chained the Burned the Wounded‘, 2020) where bluesy stoner metal swagger would give way to post-rock inspired dissociation, “cosmic” psychedelia and heavier focus on slowed stoner/doom riffcraft. That’d been the first indication of the band’s now enduring sound, a more serious-faced and inward seeking verve which’d translate directly to an emboldened debut LP (‘The Raging Sea‘, 2023), leaning deeper into their exchange between headily drifting nods and sonically overdriven extremes. Though one could vaguely compare their sound to lesser known “post-doom” bands like Grief Circle or Chrome Ghost it’d do just as well to suggest their style carries the waft of neo-psychedelia informed fusion a la Mars Red Sky just as much as it seeks the ulterior ebb of Russian Circles.

Album opener “Bledow” iterates upon this dynamic per the steady slinking movement of its intro, easing toward increasing swells of guitar noise and a post-metallic build to the beat for roughly four minutes ’til their distortion pedals kick in and Occult Hand Order‘s vocalist(s)’ve enough room to doom and roar (see: ~4:40 minutes in) through the moment. Most all of the five pieces included on ‘Meaningless Monuments‘ stick to this level of loud-quiet-loud dramatism in reveal, bleeding together in effect while keeping the actual riff count fairly low. This allows the interstitial wobble of synth and more intimately struck guitar work equal presence to the harder rhythmic turns taken, making for a neu-psychedelic feeling which blends readily into the unease of their post-metal element. Hitting the ~3 minute mark on the opener most clearly embodies this effect.

Leading with two sublimely immersive longer-form songs sets up ‘Meaningless Monuments‘ for tonal exhaustion and I don’t necessarily mean taxing sounds so much as a sort of preciously dramatic tension that never leaves. “Brno” is potentially too similar in (truncated) effect to “Bledow” to start as we find the reveal of growling vocals beyond the five minute mark and some heavier prog-doom turns taken aren’t as much of a thrill as they might’ve been if accessed piecemeal. To be fair the drop into harmonized chorale around ~6:45 minutes in is one of the more dramatic and effective moments on the album but I would speak more broadly to the effect of the full listen and how it ultimately feels front-loaded with samey, albeit high impact pieces.

By the time lead single “Mollerussa” hits over on Side B the ear begins to expect a solemn, soft-spoken introduction leading into each piece, the same tonal base to build from. Granted the song offers one of Occult Hand Order‘s heavier dives into fuzz-drowned sonic excess in terms of sheer guitar layers and feedback afforded its loudest moments but the structure of the piece is yet expected. This’d been my only gripe with this record versus the last as it drops a bit of the variety found on ‘The Raging Sea‘ in favor of leaning into what folks’d loved about songs like “Golden Bones” on that album. By the time you’ve hit the gushing anthemic bulge of “Novo Mesto“, the first piece to stretch their wings a bit more into heavier doom metal riffcraft, it’ll be less of an issue. Fans of atmospheric sludge metal of the past should appreciate where this piece goes, almost battering out into post-black/gaze fusion for a moment in its final third (see also: closer “Gerlach”).

Folks seeking a heavier, riff-driven stoner/doom metal record or a demented post-metal experience won’t likely be sated by the heady introspection Occult Hand Order have to offer on ‘Meaningless Monuments‘ but that does not detract from their wielding of those points of inspiration in forging their own melodramatic voice. Where they place highest impact and how they’ve structured these pieces into frame is effectively cinematic, a natural station for a band so heavily dosed with moderne sense for psychedelic metal variations, which lends a unique enough voice to a familiar dynamic. The balance between sublimely chilled surrealism and emotional expression is exceptional here and this is the major success of the band’s work but there’ll be plenty enough heavy, noisome arcs cut through for the adventurous doom-seeker to be flattened by. A moderately high recommendation.

https://totemcatrecords.bigcartel.com/

https://occulthandorder.bandcamp.com/album/meaningless-monuments

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