Being fully submersed into the atmosphere of an album can sometimes be hard to achieve. Many doom bands who are inspired by their own personal depression have a hard time transferring their sorrow to instruments. Lord Azmo has struck oil for a second time, which doesn’t surprise me. This project really needs to be signed, like now. Do it.
What makes this so grand? So unique that it deserves such a high rating? Well, you see, Lord Azmo is one of a kind. The musicianship is truly fantastic and in the same depressive vein as before. Before I kick into the musical description, I’d like to mention some other aspects of this album that are great. The production: crystal clear. I wasn’t expecting the full length to sound so clear. It’s surely comparable to many household doom names out there. Also, the length of the album is grand. Not too long, not too short. I hate teaser albums that just seem too short and leave you unsatisfied.
Now, to some explanation to what you will be hearing. I love being able to compare underground bands to well-known bands because it increases the chance that the reader will look into said underground band. But, it’s getting hard for me to do this with Lord Azmo because they’re truly in their own realm of sound. Earlier, I linked Lord Azmo to My Dying Bride, but now Lord Azmo has surpassed them in the melancholy, depressive department. The riff work is so gloomy, you can cut through the atmosphere with a knife (though, it might take a hatchet for this). There’s a ton of miniature melodies to transition you into the fat of each song. Every shift just leaves you begging for what’s coming next. You can tell when the main riffs come into play, they are heavy and distorted more than everything else. When everything comes together, it’s like an epiphany. Though, it’s not a happy one in the least bit. This is the soundtrack to depression and when the final track has ended, so has your life. To sum up what has been said thus far, the guitar work is very melodic and leading. Though, it has it’s heaviness to fit the doom layout. It flows, and it flows well.
The keyboard and drum work is tied in with the guitars to amplify the atmospheric effect. The keyboard work strongly relates to the guitar riffs, but often goes off onto its own tangent. I like how it’s placed into the music, it plays its role without being overbearing. Many bands fail to utilize their keyboards in a good manner. The drum work is interesting because it’s real drums and programming throughout most of the songs. It works quite well on keeping the symbols in check, which can usually turn out unpleasant without the right drum microphones. Lastly, we have the vocals. They’re quite simple, yet very effective. Everything is done in a clean singing/whispering format, though drenched in despair. Through his voice, you can hear the sadness dripping from each word. The echo effect is also a very nifty touch.
All in all, this is beyond solid. This full length was a very mature release and it was put out in a very professional way. I see no problem with the production, which is a plus seeing how Lord Azmo is a very underground project. Most importantly, the music writing skills are more than competent, they are polished and worthy of recognition. Depressive doom rockers, this is your underground gem, grab it while you can. Also, no matter what country this could’ve come from, it has no weigh in my judgment on how good it is.
Murdered Culture 