So many bands call their live shows rituals, and it’s always sounded kind of silly to me. Now and again, the name fits, but usually it’s just a manner of marketing a show that is mostly like seeing any other band live. That’s a descriptor we should preserve for very few acts.

Speaking of which, Portland post-goth/doom band Esses very well could claim that their records, the latest of which is “Pain at the Altar of Jest,” can be called ritualistic. I haven’t seen their live show, but if it’s anything like their recorded output, they can give credence to that word. The band—vocalist/guitarist Kelly Correll, guitarist/lap and pedal steel player John Chap, bassist Scout, drummer Kevin Brown—pours darkness and charisma into these eight tracks and serves as a mesmerizing reminder that there is solace in the shadows. While not metal per se, they can fit snugly along artists such as True Widow, Chelsea Wolfe, Esben and the Witch and others who straddle the line of extremity and are heavy enough to lure interested parties over the line.

“Three Sisters” pounds spiritually, hushed singing haunting, gushing open, guitars churning in the dark. The singing continues to glide and reflect, melting away into dusk. “Mirage Artist” starts with a didgeridoo echoing, which is just as startling on record as it is in real life. Riffs carve as the singing lulls, mesmerizing as a hypnotic pace chills you to the bone. Guitars spiral as noise spreads into a ritualistic pattern, the singing flexes, and the fires finally fade out. “Low” enters amid foggy guitars as the murk dances across desolate highways, the singing luring you deeper into the dream. The chorus exudes darkness, mournful tones sinking in as Correll calls, “You brought me low,” the final notes dripping into nothingness. “A Greene” has guitars numbing as the pace moves slowly, the singing soothing wounds as the drums encircle and crash. The tempo bashes away, slowly burning as the heat rises, bringing on an emotionally devastating finish.

“The Twelfth Thread” has the drums sparking and the bass engaging, the vocals feeling more sinister as the vibe turns tribal. Guitars char edges as the strings stir, the melodies spindling into the void. “The Burrow” floods with jangling riffs and then slide guitar moaning into the night, atmospheric colors spilling purplish hues, the clouds surrounding the senses. The playing storms lightly and then presses, the fog descending as Correll’s voice leads you into strange times. “Cavern of Souls” enters with the bass driving, guitars scuffing, and the singing soaring, the emotion crackling with electricity. Guitars spiral as a gazey fire consumes, Correll noting, “And a cavern of souls dies with me.” Closer “Crackedlands” opens with acoustics and dusty slide guitar, the singing feeling ghostly yet direct, a numbing haze spreading over the top. Warmth flows as Western echoes illuminate mysteries, syrupy guitar slowly blending with the horizon.

“Pain at the Altar of Jest” certainly is a record that is situated in heaviness from a sonic standpoint, but its impact physically and psychologically is just as powerful as the most metallic of records. Esses’ spirit easily gets into your bloodstream and affects the way your imagination operates, and that pushes you into digesting this music differently every time. This is an album that’ll bend your mind and reality, and you’ll be better for it.

For more on the band, go here: https://essesmusic.bandcamp.com/

To buy the album (U.S.), go here: https://seeingredrecords.8merch.us/

Or here (Europe): https://seeingredrecords.8merch.com/

For more on the label, go here: https://www.seeingredrecords.com/