This edition is limited to 200 copies on black shell cassettes with gold print, featuring a 4-panel J-card, recorded in December 2024, with track positions listed consecutively in Roman numerals and the B-side label mistakenly printed on the A-side, and vice versa.
On Graven Odes, Karyorrhexis carve a distinctive path through the intersections of death-doom, war metal, and the expansive atmospheres of post-metal. Though only a demo, this release feels surprisingly cohesive, grim yet melodic, raw yet ambitious. The duo from Australia summon a sprawling sound that nods toward early 2000s avant-death, the unhinged chaos of bestial metal, and the bleak meditations of atmospheric black metal, all filtered through a resolutely DIY lens.
Opening track “Abyschasse” sets the tone with shimmering chords and blackgaze textures, only to dive headlong into denser, more muscular riffing. What begins with a shoegazing haze transforms into something far more aggressive and corporeal. By the time “Terminus Est” arrives, the band reveals their knack for shifting gears, tight, churning rhythms meet delay-laced guitar lines that soar above the fray like smoke curling upward from a battlefield. It’s a strong highlight, especially in its latter half, which builds toward a doom-laden groove that manages to be both hypnotic and crushing.
Karyorrhexis excel at contrasts: rapid-fire blast passages dissolve into near-symphonic layering, while occasional divebomb solos and angular chugs give the material an old-school death metal flair. Even in the murkier moments, where power chords could seem over-relied upon, there’s enough atmosphere and tonal interplay to keep things from feeling stale. Guitars, presumably tuned down to C, carry much of the emotional weight, while vocals, oscillating between guttural growls and tortured rasps, blend into the instrumental fabric, enhancing the “wall of sound” effect rather than dominating it.
At times, transitions between sections come a bit too quickly to fully sink in, and the overall production can obscure the finer details. But the underlying songwriting is strong, especially in how it channels despair and aggression without slipping into cliché. There’s an earnestness here that makes even the rougher edges feel intentional, Graven Odes isn’t polished, but it is purposeful.
The artwork, evocative of a bygone era's heavy metal fantasy, complements the music well. There’s grandeur in this decay, a sense of majestic ruin. The band seems to understand the strange emotional terrain where triumph and tragedy coexist.
Fans of Spectral Voice, Krypts, and Year of No Light will find plenty to admire here, but Karyorrhexis aren't just following in those footsteps, they're carving out their own. Graven Odes is a promising first effort from a project with a clear sense of vision and atmosphere. Given more time and resources, there’s no doubt this duo could produce something truly monumental.
|
