Blut aus Nord - Disharmonium - Undreamable Abysses

Eldritch horrors beyond our perception.

(Originally submitted to the Metal Archives on May 30th 2022) 

Few artists have been on the cutting edge to the extent Vindsval has been with his band, Blut Aus Nord. His output spans almost 3 whole decades, and has more changes than I could possibly count in that same period. From atmospheric black metal, to industrial and the avant-garde, he has done it all. The man is simply an endless well of creativity, and not only that, it manifests into quality releases, with few, if any exceptions. 2022 sees him continue this tradition, with Disharmonium – Undreamable Abysses, yet another testament to the outfit’s dedication to releasing excellent music.

Like with any other of Blut Aus Nord’s releases, this one is quite different in terms of its sound compared to their output so far, all while still being something that one could refer to as “black metal”. Contrary to the psychedelic and blissful Hallucinogen, Disharmonium takes us to the opposite end of the spectrum, plunging us into dark, fathomless depths. Swirling dissonant guitar riffs meld together with hammering percussion, creating a suffocating atmosphere that perfectly encapsulates the Lovecraftian theme we’re being faced with. Even then, there are a lot of nuances, and it’s far from an album that’s just vaguely dark background noise. From the layered riffing in “Tales of the Old Dreamer” and the crawling, double bass driven segments of “That Cannot Be Dreamed”, to the explosive climax of “The Apotheosis of the Unnamable”, there’s just layers upon layers to dissect and appreciate. Like with any other Blut Aus Nord release, it’s a project that warrants multiple listens in order to fully comprehend everything going on in it.

Another crucial element of the record that I feel compelled to bring up is the vocals. While a lot of the band’s projects don’t have much in the way of discernible lyrics, the way they’re used adds yet another layer of atmosphere to an already dense slab of darkness. There’s plenty of voices used here, ranging from growls to chants and moans, all of which further enhance the eldritch and inhuman aspects presented here. Though they lack in words of any kind, the way they fade in and out of the chaos manages to paint very vivid images that words wouldn’t be able to adequately convey, not too dissimilar to how Lovecraft’s work benefits from the lack of images to go along with it. In most cases vocals are something that I don’t find myself gushing about, but their appearance here, and the way they’re handled adds so much that it’s hard to ignore.

The production is also worth discussing, seeing as it’s the key ingredient to the success of Disharmonium’s cacophonous cocktail. The murky, reverb-drenched guitars bring the most out of the writhing, doom-like passages, and are the cornerstone of the music, whereas the bass adds more depth and texture to the already dissonant riffs. What I found the most fascinating though was the drums, and how they propped everything else up. The bass drums’ driving, yet somewhat subdued nature is omnipresent here, and you really notice it when W.D. Feld engages in one of the many double bass runs found throughout the album. His drumming is excellent, and surprisingly complex given that the whole thing is just layers upon layers of darkness. The cymbals are an integral part of his performance, and they’re treated with an appropriate amount of respect, their dim glimmer cutting through the higher frequencies and not becoming lost in the shuffle. It’s honestly quite impressive how dark, yet clear the whole recording is, with tons of details being placed next to one another, all while maintaining a sense of cohesion and avoiding becoming a jumbled mess.

During my listens, there was one other album in the Blut Aus Nord canon that came to mind, and that was the oft-maligned MoRT. It’s a release that I found myself enjoying quite a bit, despite its divisive nature among the fanbase, and I couldn’t help but draw some parallels in how the two releases approach atmosphere. Both are very singular in their sound palate, and while they are very different in tone, they use it in very similar ways. Repetition is the main component here, with motifs being built upon constantly through songs and being altered throughout, or reappearing later. There’s also the distinct emphasis on atmospherics, though the end goal and the sound palates used are quite different. MoRT is a much slower, and methodical release, gradually instilling a feeling of decay, while Disharmonium is much more direct and intense in its approach, immediately throwing you into the abyss. It feels like Disharmonium is meant to be a black metal-influenced reimagining of what was originally explored there, with the added bonus of a more varied sonic experience that ventures away from its established motifs with a lot of added details sprinkled therein.

In case it hasn’t been obvious enough yet, Vindsval and the boys have done it again. I find it exceptionally difficult to complain about anything on this record, except maybe the fact that “Neptune’s Eye” gets a bit too repetitive, even by the uniform standards that have already been established. Disharmonium – Undreamable Abysses serves as yet another excellent addition to an already star-studded discography, and is a definite standout in the emerging “atmoblack but murky and dissonant” niche that has been appearing over the past few years. Incomprehensible horrors beyond man’s imagination have never been as alluring as they are here.

Highlights: Tales of the Old Dreamer, That Cannot Be Named, The Apotheosis of the Unnamable

Rating: 92%