Accessing the heavy-lidded lamentations of a diabolized mind entombed by despair Athens, Greece-based blackened death/doom metal trio DYSEMBLEM call upon a triad of ancient and arcane ethos once more to gird their third full-length album with the eerie gravitas of the old underground. Calling back to the age of uncertainty within extreme metal beyond the late 80’s and pulling from deeper fonts of primordial black, death and doom metal ‘Buried by the Weight of the Light‘ is the sleekest yet creation from these folks who’d smartly wield authentic ‘old school’ extreme metal dynamic from seeming bygone fundaments. The resulting concoct is appreciably morbid and obscure, a melding of dark traditions into personal ritual amidst harrowing existential dread.

Dysemblem formed by way of Aees (Phaëthon) back in 2012 where he’d recorded three brief demos over the course of the next few years which’d initially aimed for a form of Celtic Frost informed, riff-driven death/doom and eventually incorporated what I’d describe as early 90’s blackened death movement (re: Samael, Thou Art Lord). Most of those songs would end up on a debut full-length (‘Strength of Giants‘, 2016) which brought in drummer Nuctemeron (Necrovorous, Sacral Rage, et al.) and began to explore a bevvy of atmospheric yet minimal concoction generally transgressing borders between ancient black, death and doom expression where one moment they’d sound like Desecresy and Hellhammer the next. That dynamic was expanded and exaggerated on the follow up (‘Autotomy‘, 2019) soon after sporting more polished recordings while leaning heavier into black metal interest for much of the guitar work, transforming a few demo-era songs (re: “Horns”) into a differently atmospheric vision in the process.

‘Buried by the Weight of the Light‘ finds Dysemblem expanded to a trio per the addition of guitarist/bassist T. (Burial Hordes, ex-Dead Congregation) and pulls back to the stark early 90’s death/doom metal inspired atmosphere of their debut while doubling down on their invocation of (early) second wave black metal traits in the process of reveal. This sound should appeal to folks already indoctrinated by the ungainly horrors of Goatlord just as well as earlier Cianide wherein 80’s doom metal riffcraft is heavily infused into the band’s major motion. The blackened and kicking rattle into opener “Descent” doesn’t immediately signal this, sounding more like a new-old analogue for Misery‘s ‘Mystic‘ outright, but once you’ve hit “Graven Gardens” and especially “Treasures of Terror” mid-album it’ll be clear how this niche of the ancient and obscure has been both accessed and expanded. The latter piece is not only one of the darker highlights on the album but a best representation of the stylized facets feeding the trio’s sound today.

With the reeking morbidity of the nigh eight minute “Treasures of Terror” still hanging in the air “Excavation Nightmares” cracks into the second half crossing over into bestial doom-punk tirade, scratching through simpler black metal riff and swatted step for its ranting verses while punctuating those thoughts with shambling doom and/or trotting ‘old school’ movement. After spending a few hours with Dysemblem‘s discography this song is technically closest to the original blueprint of the first album, a raw access to the most primal and authentic shaping of the black, death and doom strung together in both traded and fused order. In direct contrast “Under the Aegis of Thunder” is something fairly new, a sort of heavy metal inspired black metal piece with a thrashing (?) post-punk breakdown in its final third.

Though not every moment on ‘Buried by the Weight of Light‘ partakes in the murderous speed and brutal temperament of auld death metal the malaise and existential dread of doom metal (and black metal, even) persists throughout as vital characterization. In the process of morphing back toward primal states of each sub-genre indicated and then melding them in carefully considered, often gloom-drenched ways Dysemblem resemble a viable tapestry of the ancient ways which is their own. By remaining vitally aligned with the origin of species their work retains a voice of power which is uncanny in its searching morbidity and the band’s coherent proposition to date overall. The full listen flows together with great sense but still manages to surprise with singular and varietal stance despite simpler modus and familiar-but-obscure sensibilities. The effect is hypnotic in its veering motion yet still leads with the cold truth of death per every step taken. A high recommendation.

https://www.memento-mori.es/

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