Summer literally just dawned here on the East Coast of the United States, and we’re pushing 100 degrees every day this week. We barely had a winter again this past season, and the days of normalcy seems to have devolved into something less livable. Certainly far more volatile. And so many don’t seem to care at all.
“Resilience” is the second full-length from California-based doom metal power Amarok, and it’s a concept piece that revels in the agony of violently changing climates, loss, and existential dread, all of which can be rolled into one ongoing overserving of anxiety. Over five tracks and almost 65 minutes, the band—vocalist/bassist Brandon Squyres, guitarist/vocalist Kenny Ruggles–Alaniz, guitarist Nathan Collins, drummer Colby Byrn—digs deep into the ground from where they’ve mined before and have refined their sound and made their songs even more gut wrenching. Their songs from all releases are sort of woven together into a larger picture, so this one picks up numerically where 2018’s “Devoured” left off. This is a passionate, darkly mournful record that also packs a burst of anger and resentment that is palpable and perfectly served.
“Charred (X)” is the 17:51-long opener that enters in flames, battering as howls scathe, and a funereal pace sets the mood dour. The playing corrodes as fires crackle, the guitars going cold and entering into moody territory. The track picks up the pace as emotional guitars whip up a lather, the howls boil harder, and the playing buckles, sending off thunderous aftershocks. Wails scorch as the ferocity builds, tearing through the earth’s crust as the sounds ring into oblivion. “Ascension (XI)” is the longest track at 18:10, and it’s dark and mournful at the start, howls scraping as the synth glows, the playing storming and creating a flood of power. Soul-crushing heaviness gets even more penetrative, driving through ugliness, the shrieks crushing as the leads glow. The playing then quiets as melodies fall softly like ash from the skies, heavy emotion then crashes through the walls as doom bells chime, and the playing crumbles like an aged, decaying building.
“Interlude” is the only non-numbered track, and it’s to give you a breather before the second half, letting sounds trickle and numb, slowly bleeding out toward “Penance (XII)” that immediately creates a morbid aura. Growls engorge as sorrowful melodies get thicker and more foreboding, the guitars soaring amid a fiery assault. Growls retch as the guitars fire up, bruising as the pace tears open, the pace crushing and turning bone to power. The playing then slows to a funeral pace, rupturing anew as the darkness enshrouds, the shrieks crushing as sounds dissolve and disappear into an ambient wave. Closer “Legacy (XIII)” starts with soft acoustics and a burgeoning atmosphere, the leads feeling gazey and warm, a heartfelt push making the blood pump through your veins. Howls scar as the gutting sadness increases its hold, feeling overwhelming as the screams batter, pushing your heart to the limit. A deep pall of pain and coldness gradually increases, and a strange catchiness lands as the final moments lurk off into the dark.
Amarok’s anxiety and anguish over the state of our planet not only is understandable but should spark rage in anyone who hopes we still have a habitable planet for future generations. “Resilience” is a heavy message that makes your insides ache with the fear and fury over the ignorance so many people alive alongside us have for a climate that’s teetering on the edge of disaster. All hope is not yet lost, and there’s still time to fight, but we’re running out of time, and the funeral for our species is bound to be something we have earned outright.
For more on the band, go here: https://www.facebook.com/amarokdoom
To buy the album, go here: https://amarokdoom.bigcartel.com/product/preorder-amarok-resilience-black-180-gram-double-lp
Or here (Europe): https://vendettarecords.bigcartel.com/
For more on the label, go here: https://vendetta-records.com/
Meat Mead Metal 