Doom- metal.com review:
*Mild spoiler alert: a fraction over three minutes into this album, it was already becoming clear that there would be a sizeable number waiting at the end of this review. That just happens to be the time it takes to run through the delicately-introduced and dramatic instrumental introduction, and for the sublimely-crafted instrumental layers being fed into 'Wooden Kimono Fixative' to have built up guitar, drums, bass and introduce the first mellifluous notes of tenor sax. One of the most elegant and moving lead-ins I've heard in a long time.*
But I'm getting ahead of myself somewhat, there. You may already be familiar with the band Subterranean Disposition through the self-titled 2012 debut, or with project founder Terry Vainoras through any of his two-decade-spanning career with other bands such as Cryptal Darkness, InSomnius Dei and The Eternal. Nearly four years on from 'Subterranean Disposition', sophomore 'Contagiuum and the Landscapes of Failure' arrives courtesy of a joint release by Hypnotic Dirge Records and BadMoodMan Music, and wrapped in a dramatic cover painting by Coby O’brien.
The debut album established a melodic-experimental-ambient Death/Doom (well-encapsulated by the quoted motto "the dissonance, the atmosphere, the dynamics, the heaviness, the melody”), and plenty of recognisable elements from that have been taken forward into 'Contagiuum...': first and foremost, perhaps, the small number of lengthy compositions comprising the release - indicating that the thoughtful, evolving, multi-passage songwriting structures pioneered there have been retained largely intact. They're based around much the same components, too: largely centred around guitar, with a mix of clean and growled male vocals, a smattering of keyboards, spot effects and spoken-word features, some (very welcome) sax, and guest female vocals, all combining with various shades of accord or contrast as each track unfolds. A strong improvement is to be found in the fully-accredited presence of Dan Nahum (Futility, Orphans Of Dusk, and many others) behind the drum kit, demonstrating that even the best programming available can't compete with a quality percussionist. Other changes: the female vocals, this time, are the enigmatically haunting tones of Iranian-born Gelareh Pour (featured in an eerie ambient exploration during 'Embittered'), and the sax is Terry's own work, learned during the interim.
And what can I say, but that the various continuities and changes have resulted in a significantly more assured (I won't say 'mature': given the extensive pre-Subterranean Disposition experience involved, the debut was hardly a novice work!) musical statement. 'Contagiuum...' successfully steps up, taking the inclusion of bold and experimental features that marked its predecessor, and completely integrating them into what are essentially genuine Prog Rock structures. By which I don't mean album-length tracks full of Yes-like noodling: look more to the extreme ends of the genre, where bands like Van der Graaf Generator brought together every bit as much aggression, harshness and raw pain as the modern underground strives for. That's the sweet spot which'Contagiuum...' occupies: the dissonant, the unexpected and the unusual coexisting beautifully with the more prosaic and familiar core of Death/Doom values. Some deft steering ensures that, despite the variety of elements brought front and centre, the album maintains pace and meaning, without any of the individual moments diverting from either, or overstaying their welcome.
I'm not going to deconstruct much of the music here: there wouldn't be a lot of value in pulling out a long list of individual moments and partial comparisons. But I will mention 'All Roads Lead To Perdition' - perhaps the most obvious bridge between the two albums - in a little more detail, as an example. Travelling from gentle, spidery guitar harmonics through a smoothly tantalising build-up to venomous passionate crescendo, from distortedly echoing half-spoken vocals to a section of melancholic strings, from soaring guitar lines to the creepy computerised ambience of the coda: the breadth and variety of the journey is vast, yet stays true to its semi-recurrent theme. You could level a salvo of band names at it - from Rush to Inborn Suffering, Ministry to The Slow Death - and they'd all give just a part of the picture of something that is emphatically its own creature.
I praised the craft and attention to detail of the debut: it's a pleasure to note that has been maintained here. A great deal of work has gone into polishing every facet of the production: amongst many other highlights, the lush guitar tones are a deliciously evocative match to the emotions of the passages they run through - whether tracing a contemporary path, or harking back towards a more '70s sound. The different movements are many and varied: ranging from such features as the by-turns rocking-out or languid saxophone, the interjection of uptempo snarling and blackened climaxes, or the wielding of ambient effects like the sinister crackle of electrical discharge concluding 'A Lifelong Slumber'.
For all the complexities, though, it's still a very accessible album: dark and punchy as the backbone can be, it still sits at the lighter and more melodic end of the Death/Doom spectrum - and, obviously, that's further mellowed by some of the more boundary-pushing elements. Rewarding close attention and repeated listening with a plethora of subtle details, the hour's running time is a longish but entirely worthwhile trip through some decidedly creative spaces. Those may turn out to be a little too artistic for everyone's taste, but - as noted at the beginning - you should have a pretty clear idea whether it's going to be your sort of thing within a few short minutes. It most definitely is mine and, without doubt, will be a name appearing on my end-of-year shortlist.
*Mild spoiler alert: a fraction over three minutes into this album, it was already becoming clear that there would be a sizeable number waiting at the end of this review. That just happens to be the time it takes to run through the delicately-introduced and dramatic instrumental introduction, and for the sublimely-crafted instrumental layers being fed into 'Wooden Kimono Fixative' to have built up guitar, drums, bass and introduce the first mellifluous notes of tenor sax. One of the most elegant and moving lead-ins I've heard in a long time.*
But I'm getting ahead of myself somewhat, there. You may already be familiar with the band Subterranean Disposition through the self-titled 2012 debut, or with project founder Terry Vainoras through any of his two-decade-spanning career with other bands such as Cryptal Darkness, InSomnius Dei and The Eternal. Nearly four years on from 'Subterranean Disposition', sophomore 'Contagiuum and the Landscapes of Failure' arrives courtesy of a joint release by Hypnotic Dirge Records and BadMoodMan Music, and wrapped in a dramatic cover painting by Coby O’brien.
The debut album established a melodic-experimental-ambient Death/Doom (well-encapsulated by the quoted motto "the dissonance, the atmosphere, the dynamics, the heaviness, the melody”), and plenty of recognisable elements from that have been taken forward into 'Contagiuum...': first and foremost, perhaps, the small number of lengthy compositions comprising the release - indicating that the thoughtful, evolving, multi-passage songwriting structures pioneered there have been retained largely intact. They're based around much the same components, too: largely centred around guitar, with a mix of clean and growled male vocals, a smattering of keyboards, spot effects and spoken-word features, some (very welcome) sax, and guest female vocals, all combining with various shades of accord or contrast as each track unfolds. A strong improvement is to be found in the fully-accredited presence of Dan Nahum (Futility, Orphans Of Dusk, and many others) behind the drum kit, demonstrating that even the best programming available can't compete with a quality percussionist. Other changes: the female vocals, this time, are the enigmatically haunting tones of Iranian-born Gelareh Pour (featured in an eerie ambient exploration during 'Embittered'), and the sax is Terry's own work, learned during the interim.
And what can I say, but that the various continuities and changes have resulted in a significantly more assured (I won't say 'mature': given the extensive pre-Subterranean Disposition experience involved, the debut was hardly a novice work!) musical statement. 'Contagiuum...' successfully steps up, taking the inclusion of bold and experimental features that marked its predecessor, and completely integrating them into what are essentially genuine Prog Rock structures. By which I don't mean album-length tracks full of Yes-like noodling: look more to the extreme ends of the genre, where bands like Van der Graaf Generator brought together every bit as much aggression, harshness and raw pain as the modern underground strives for. That's the sweet spot which'Contagiuum...' occupies: the dissonant, the unexpected and the unusual coexisting beautifully with the more prosaic and familiar core of Death/Doom values. Some deft steering ensures that, despite the variety of elements brought front and centre, the album maintains pace and meaning, without any of the individual moments diverting from either, or overstaying their welcome.
I'm not going to deconstruct much of the music here: there wouldn't be a lot of value in pulling out a long list of individual moments and partial comparisons. But I will mention 'All Roads Lead To Perdition' - perhaps the most obvious bridge between the two albums - in a little more detail, as an example. Travelling from gentle, spidery guitar harmonics through a smoothly tantalising build-up to venomous passionate crescendo, from distortedly echoing half-spoken vocals to a section of melancholic strings, from soaring guitar lines to the creepy computerised ambience of the coda: the breadth and variety of the journey is vast, yet stays true to its semi-recurrent theme. You could level a salvo of band names at it - from Rush to Inborn Suffering, Ministry to The Slow Death - and they'd all give just a part of the picture of something that is emphatically its own creature.
I praised the craft and attention to detail of the debut: it's a pleasure to note that has been maintained here. A great deal of work has gone into polishing every facet of the production: amongst many other highlights, the lush guitar tones are a deliciously evocative match to the emotions of the passages they run through - whether tracing a contemporary path, or harking back towards a more '70s sound. The different movements are many and varied: ranging from such features as the by-turns rocking-out or languid saxophone, the interjection of uptempo snarling and blackened climaxes, or the wielding of ambient effects like the sinister crackle of electrical discharge concluding 'A Lifelong Slumber'.
For all the complexities, though, it's still a very accessible album: dark and punchy as the backbone can be, it still sits at the lighter and more melodic end of the Death/Doom spectrum - and, obviously, that's further mellowed by some of the more boundary-pushing elements. Rewarding close attention and repeated listening with a plethora of subtle details, the hour's running time is a longish but entirely worthwhile trip through some decidedly creative spaces. Those may turn out to be a little too artistic for everyone's taste, but - as noted at the beginning - you should have a pretty clear idea whether it's going to be your sort of thing within a few short minutes. It most definitely is mine and, without doubt, will be a name appearing on my end-of-year shortlist.
Last Day Deaf review:
Subterranean Disposition is a one-man band from Melbourne, Australia. Its founder, Terry Vainoras, has been participating in various metal, different-genre projects (Damaged– grindcore, Earth– melodic death, Order Of Chaos– hardcore, Insomnious Dei– doom, among others). He has been collecting valuable musical experience from these projects through the years, and is mainly inspired by the music himself and Mark Kelson of Insomnium Dei have been working on at the time, when he released in 2012 as Subterranean Disposition his first self-titled album. With his own project, originally influenced from the early 90s doom metal and modern sludge, he moves musically further creating a doom/death/experimental/avant-garde metal sound.
There has been a very good and qualitative work in ‘Contagiuum And The Landscapes Of Failure‘ taking into consideration that it blends all kinds of the dark musical range. The album’s introduction ‘All Roads Lead To Perdition‘, with its own music video, gives you a clear taste of the incorporation of emotions and floating dynamics.
‘Contagiuum And The Landscapes Of Failure‘ is a collaboration of fellow musicians like Dan Nahum (Bleakwood,The Veil, Dead River Runs Dry) on Drums, Gelareh Pour on kemancheh, qeychak alto and voice (‘Embittered‘)’, and Daniel Lucas (Painted Black) on guest vocals. The result is, each of the six album tracks are somehow distinct. This is due to the successful experimentation Terry invests on each track, such as in ‘Wooden Kimono Fixative‘ where he plays the saxophone. In each track there are variations of blackened, death, and clean vocals, and the musical background varies between funeral doom to ambient melodic post-black metal. The atmosphere is as it should be and representative of the genre(s): depressive and dark, with an underground dynamic. Track by track this album can really grow on you.
Subterranean Disposition is a one-man band from Melbourne, Australia. Its founder, Terry Vainoras, has been participating in various metal, different-genre projects (Damaged– grindcore, Earth– melodic death, Order Of Chaos– hardcore, Insomnious Dei– doom, among others). He has been collecting valuable musical experience from these projects through the years, and is mainly inspired by the music himself and Mark Kelson of Insomnium Dei have been working on at the time, when he released in 2012 as Subterranean Disposition his first self-titled album. With his own project, originally influenced from the early 90s doom metal and modern sludge, he moves musically further creating a doom/death/experimental/avant-garde metal sound.
There has been a very good and qualitative work in ‘Contagiuum And The Landscapes Of Failure‘ taking into consideration that it blends all kinds of the dark musical range. The album’s introduction ‘All Roads Lead To Perdition‘, with its own music video, gives you a clear taste of the incorporation of emotions and floating dynamics.
‘Contagiuum And The Landscapes Of Failure‘ is a collaboration of fellow musicians like Dan Nahum (Bleakwood,The Veil, Dead River Runs Dry) on Drums, Gelareh Pour on kemancheh, qeychak alto and voice (‘Embittered‘)’, and Daniel Lucas (Painted Black) on guest vocals. The result is, each of the six album tracks are somehow distinct. This is due to the successful experimentation Terry invests on each track, such as in ‘Wooden Kimono Fixative‘ where he plays the saxophone. In each track there are variations of blackened, death, and clean vocals, and the musical background varies between funeral doom to ambient melodic post-black metal. The atmosphere is as it should be and representative of the genre(s): depressive and dark, with an underground dynamic. Track by track this album can really grow on you.
Metal Obsession review:
The debut from Melbourne’s Subterranean Disposition was an enthralling slab of doom with the inclusions of saxophone, female vocals and touches of other outside influences keeping it interesting from beginning to end. Contagiuum and the Landscapes of Failure does exactly what a sophomore album should, it improves on every element and expands the sound even further.
The saxophone is back within the first five minutes to set the mood, it’s a pretty relaxed style of doom after all. There’s moments of aggression and some big riffs but Subterranean Disposition aren’t overly intense nor are there riffs dragging on for countless hours. It’s all on the more melodic end, perhaps coming from some Swedish melodeath influence.
“Embittered Final” is the perfect example of how smoothly Terry Vainoras, the one man behind the band, manages to bring other elements in without it sounding like a departure; Gelareh Pour’s female operatic vocals are stunning and her kemancheh and qeychak alto, both stringed instruments, just work. “All Roads to Perdition” has some latter dayEarth to its clean guitar opening while the effects on Terry’s vocals in the middle are almost demonic, and “A Life Long Slumber” is both as beautiful as the title suggests and a display of Terry’s guitar playing. This is doom with a lot of melody.
Ultimately the standout is yet again his vocals. Whether it’s growls, spoken word, cleans, whispers, or effects added on top, it’s constantly evolving and something different in a genre often fronted in a more monotonous manner.
The compositions flow a bit smoother than the debut, the production is thicker and warmer, and the occasional climaxes are more powerful. Contagiuum and the Landscapes of Failure is superb.
The debut from Melbourne’s Subterranean Disposition was an enthralling slab of doom with the inclusions of saxophone, female vocals and touches of other outside influences keeping it interesting from beginning to end. Contagiuum and the Landscapes of Failure does exactly what a sophomore album should, it improves on every element and expands the sound even further.
The saxophone is back within the first five minutes to set the mood, it’s a pretty relaxed style of doom after all. There’s moments of aggression and some big riffs but Subterranean Disposition aren’t overly intense nor are there riffs dragging on for countless hours. It’s all on the more melodic end, perhaps coming from some Swedish melodeath influence.
“Embittered Final” is the perfect example of how smoothly Terry Vainoras, the one man behind the band, manages to bring other elements in without it sounding like a departure; Gelareh Pour’s female operatic vocals are stunning and her kemancheh and qeychak alto, both stringed instruments, just work. “All Roads to Perdition” has some latter dayEarth to its clean guitar opening while the effects on Terry’s vocals in the middle are almost demonic, and “A Life Long Slumber” is both as beautiful as the title suggests and a display of Terry’s guitar playing. This is doom with a lot of melody.
Ultimately the standout is yet again his vocals. Whether it’s growls, spoken word, cleans, whispers, or effects added on top, it’s constantly evolving and something different in a genre often fronted in a more monotonous manner.
The compositions flow a bit smoother than the debut, the production is thicker and warmer, and the occasional climaxes are more powerful. Contagiuum and the Landscapes of Failure is superb.
Infernal Masquerade review:
Arriving from Australia, today we have one-man battalion Subterranean Disposition’s second full-length released titled “Contagiuum and the Landscapes of Failure”. Delivering over 60 minutes of crushing Death/Doom, the band keeps things fresh by adding extra atmospheric elements that blend very well together. Perfectly crafted for fans of slow and painful Doom music, this release is filled with unique ideas and interesting songs.
Opening with the crushing riffs of “Hungry Ghosts on Rotten Soil”, the album sets a very dominant tone. This mood continues with the melancholic opening of “Wooden Kimono Fixative” and its disarming pairing of moody guitars and sultry saxophone. This opener nicely transitions into more familiar Death/Doom territories with gusto and crushing tempo changes. Remaining us of bands like Avrigus, “Embittered Final” turns darker and more atmospheric. The haunting female vocals give an extra level of eeriness to this already emotional track.
Mixing influences that range from My Dying Bride, Doom VS and all the main players in the genre, tracks like “A Life Long Slumber” and “All Roads Lead to Perdition” continue to showcase Terry Vainoras’s mastery of the genre and solid song writing skills. While there are elements that always sound familiar, Subterranean Disposition has a very distinctive sound that is quite memorable and engaging.
Closing with the hypnotic 12-minute behemoth “Aggressors Clothed as Victims”, we are treated to lush classical string instruments and a very unsettling atmospheric opening first few minutes. Overall, Subterranean Disposition is quite an engaging and unique one-man outfit. All tracks are full of cool and different ideas which make listening to this release a very rewarding and fresh experience. If you are looking for the power and desolation transmitted by Death/Doom Metal releases and have a knack for intense atmospheric elements, “Contagiuum and the Landscapes of Failure” is the release for you.
Arriving from Australia, today we have one-man battalion Subterranean Disposition’s second full-length released titled “Contagiuum and the Landscapes of Failure”. Delivering over 60 minutes of crushing Death/Doom, the band keeps things fresh by adding extra atmospheric elements that blend very well together. Perfectly crafted for fans of slow and painful Doom music, this release is filled with unique ideas and interesting songs.
Opening with the crushing riffs of “Hungry Ghosts on Rotten Soil”, the album sets a very dominant tone. This mood continues with the melancholic opening of “Wooden Kimono Fixative” and its disarming pairing of moody guitars and sultry saxophone. This opener nicely transitions into more familiar Death/Doom territories with gusto and crushing tempo changes. Remaining us of bands like Avrigus, “Embittered Final” turns darker and more atmospheric. The haunting female vocals give an extra level of eeriness to this already emotional track.
Mixing influences that range from My Dying Bride, Doom VS and all the main players in the genre, tracks like “A Life Long Slumber” and “All Roads Lead to Perdition” continue to showcase Terry Vainoras’s mastery of the genre and solid song writing skills. While there are elements that always sound familiar, Subterranean Disposition has a very distinctive sound that is quite memorable and engaging.
Closing with the hypnotic 12-minute behemoth “Aggressors Clothed as Victims”, we are treated to lush classical string instruments and a very unsettling atmospheric opening first few minutes. Overall, Subterranean Disposition is quite an engaging and unique one-man outfit. All tracks are full of cool and different ideas which make listening to this release a very rewarding and fresh experience. If you are looking for the power and desolation transmitted by Death/Doom Metal releases and have a knack for intense atmospheric elements, “Contagiuum and the Landscapes of Failure” is the release for you.
Dead Rhetoric review:
When one thinks of Australian metal, one tends to look towards the more progressive and technical in nature. But bands like Subterranean Disposition continue to lurk in the shadows with their bleak and cold vision of darkness. Four years since their self-titled debut, the band has returned with a new release that does bring a very progressive form of metal, but in this case – its doom metal.
Falling nicely into place with the avant-garde and interesting sound that many Hypnotic Dirge bands bring, Subterranean Disposition is far from your usual doom act. In addition to the usual instrumentation, you can look forward to hearing kemancheh, saxophone, and violin to add to the album’s atmosphere. Of course, it’s all effectively placed into the music – you’ll never get the sensation that something is there, ‘just to be there.’ It’s also rare to find much “straight-doom,” as some death and black metal also permeate the mix, leading to an album that is all about exploration, while keeping that isolationary and brooding doom mentality firmly centered. These are some lengthy songs – outside the 2-minute introduction, the remaining five tracks all exceed the 10-minute mark. This has its ups and downs. On the positive end, it gives the album’s many flavors plenty of opportunity to mix in without being overbearing. But there are times in the tracks where a particular moment seems to overstay its welcome, and some tighter editing may have allowed the songs to blossom more.
Despite the length of the songs, Subterranean Disposition can’t be faulted when it comes to providing a fresh take on doom. The atmosphere of Contagiuum is chilling and sorrowful, as good doom should be, but the angles in which they accomplish them aren’t always the ways you might expect. It’s always better to over-extend your efforts than to have them fall short of your goals.
When one thinks of Australian metal, one tends to look towards the more progressive and technical in nature. But bands like Subterranean Disposition continue to lurk in the shadows with their bleak and cold vision of darkness. Four years since their self-titled debut, the band has returned with a new release that does bring a very progressive form of metal, but in this case – its doom metal.
Falling nicely into place with the avant-garde and interesting sound that many Hypnotic Dirge bands bring, Subterranean Disposition is far from your usual doom act. In addition to the usual instrumentation, you can look forward to hearing kemancheh, saxophone, and violin to add to the album’s atmosphere. Of course, it’s all effectively placed into the music – you’ll never get the sensation that something is there, ‘just to be there.’ It’s also rare to find much “straight-doom,” as some death and black metal also permeate the mix, leading to an album that is all about exploration, while keeping that isolationary and brooding doom mentality firmly centered. These are some lengthy songs – outside the 2-minute introduction, the remaining five tracks all exceed the 10-minute mark. This has its ups and downs. On the positive end, it gives the album’s many flavors plenty of opportunity to mix in without being overbearing. But there are times in the tracks where a particular moment seems to overstay its welcome, and some tighter editing may have allowed the songs to blossom more.
Despite the length of the songs, Subterranean Disposition can’t be faulted when it comes to providing a fresh take on doom. The atmosphere of Contagiuum is chilling and sorrowful, as good doom should be, but the angles in which they accomplish them aren’t always the ways you might expect. It’s always better to over-extend your efforts than to have them fall short of your goals.
Metal Injection review:
This week's entry into Funeral Doom Friday is a highly impressive album that was released this past Monday. Melbourne, Australia-based Subterranean Disposition was founded by Terry Vainoras in 2011. Vainoras has decades of experience in music with other bands such as The Eternal, InSomnius Dei and currently Order of Chaos. To this point, Vainoras has released two albums as Subterranean Disposition, a 2012 self-titled album and this newest endeavor, Contagiuum and the Landscapes of Failure. The album was premiered over at Invisible Oranges by Jon Rosenthal, who delivered a well-written exclusive listen of the album. I felt it appropriate to continue to heap praise on this piece of music after hearing the whole thing myself.
Contagiuum and the Landscapes of Failure is, by all accounts, a Death-Doom album. As explained in the past, Death-Doom does spawn Funeral Doom Metal and with Subterranean Disposition's newest album it toes the line between progenitor and descendant. What this riveting piece of music also brings are many unconventional Heavy Metal instruments as well as guest appearances to further expand on the overall sound of the album. Vainoras is a wildly talented musician who, on top of guitar and bass duties, contributed a saxophone, varied vocal styles, and lyrics to the album. Vainoras recruited the drummer, Dan Nahum who has done work in a number of bands like Dead River Runs Dry and Bleakwood, as well as Gelareh Pour to play kamancheh, Qeychak Alto and contribute her lovely voice to the song "Embittered" and Daniel Lucas to contribute vocals throughout the album.
What is most striking about Contagiuum and the Landscapes of Failure is the refreshing amount of external influences that the album uses. There are psychedelic and folk-soaked tinges layered into the music as well as moments of jazz and Eastern World music compliments of Vainoras's saxophone and Pour's stringed instruments, respectively. There are many shining moments of this throughout the album. "Wooden Kimono Fixative", for example, features a saxophone intro before ripping to brain-rattling Death-Doom. A personal favorite, and the earlier-noted, "Embittered", features what might be the most Funeral Doom part of the album. The inclusion of Pour's voice adds an element of sorrow and, at times, terror. It is an absolutely harrowing track that envelopes the listener in certain instances and jettisons them at other times, leaving the listener to wallow in despair or melancholia.
The remaining duration of the album is fiercely diverse. "A Lifelong Slumber" and album closer, "Aggressors Clothed as Victims" showcase dynamic vocal arrangements and a bit more experimentation from Vainoras and his collective gang of guest musicians. It caps off a remarkably entertaining album. Overall, Contagiuum and the Landscapes of Failure has culminated in one of the most refreshing and unique compositions that has surfaced in 2016 and has been arguably the best new work featured in this column this year. I strongly urge you all who read this column regularly to purchase it from Band
This week's entry into Funeral Doom Friday is a highly impressive album that was released this past Monday. Melbourne, Australia-based Subterranean Disposition was founded by Terry Vainoras in 2011. Vainoras has decades of experience in music with other bands such as The Eternal, InSomnius Dei and currently Order of Chaos. To this point, Vainoras has released two albums as Subterranean Disposition, a 2012 self-titled album and this newest endeavor, Contagiuum and the Landscapes of Failure. The album was premiered over at Invisible Oranges by Jon Rosenthal, who delivered a well-written exclusive listen of the album. I felt it appropriate to continue to heap praise on this piece of music after hearing the whole thing myself.
Contagiuum and the Landscapes of Failure is, by all accounts, a Death-Doom album. As explained in the past, Death-Doom does spawn Funeral Doom Metal and with Subterranean Disposition's newest album it toes the line between progenitor and descendant. What this riveting piece of music also brings are many unconventional Heavy Metal instruments as well as guest appearances to further expand on the overall sound of the album. Vainoras is a wildly talented musician who, on top of guitar and bass duties, contributed a saxophone, varied vocal styles, and lyrics to the album. Vainoras recruited the drummer, Dan Nahum who has done work in a number of bands like Dead River Runs Dry and Bleakwood, as well as Gelareh Pour to play kamancheh, Qeychak Alto and contribute her lovely voice to the song "Embittered" and Daniel Lucas to contribute vocals throughout the album.
What is most striking about Contagiuum and the Landscapes of Failure is the refreshing amount of external influences that the album uses. There are psychedelic and folk-soaked tinges layered into the music as well as moments of jazz and Eastern World music compliments of Vainoras's saxophone and Pour's stringed instruments, respectively. There are many shining moments of this throughout the album. "Wooden Kimono Fixative", for example, features a saxophone intro before ripping to brain-rattling Death-Doom. A personal favorite, and the earlier-noted, "Embittered", features what might be the most Funeral Doom part of the album. The inclusion of Pour's voice adds an element of sorrow and, at times, terror. It is an absolutely harrowing track that envelopes the listener in certain instances and jettisons them at other times, leaving the listener to wallow in despair or melancholia.
The remaining duration of the album is fiercely diverse. "A Lifelong Slumber" and album closer, "Aggressors Clothed as Victims" showcase dynamic vocal arrangements and a bit more experimentation from Vainoras and his collective gang of guest musicians. It caps off a remarkably entertaining album. Overall, Contagiuum and the Landscapes of Failure has culminated in one of the most refreshing and unique compositions that has surfaced in 2016 and has been arguably the best new work featured in this column this year. I strongly urge you all who read this column regularly to purchase it from Band
Invisible Oranges review:
It has been a long, long time since multi-instrumentalist Terry Vainoras’s tenure in short-lived doom metal duo InSomnius Dei. Once a random MySpace find (remember when MySpace was a valid catalyst for discovering new music?) a decade ago, this all-but-defunct Australian band seamlessly blended classic Peaceville death/doom metal with the panchromatic psychedelia of Pink Floyd’s classic works. Hindsight has rendered Illusions of Silence one of those now admittedly clumsy albums which are more effective as a nostalgia listen, but certain moments of “The Memories Of My Past” and their sole album’s titular track still hit me square in that special, cordoned off zone of buried, late teenage angst. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that band came and went so long ago, but, as luck would have it, the stars aligned and multi-instrumentalist Terry Vainoras (the other half of InSomnius Dei was Mark Kelson, for those who are curious) continued honing his craft with new band Subterranean Disposition.
Now on their second album, Contagiuum and the Landscapes of Failure displays both a maturation in Vainoras’s songwriting and a stronger sense of adventure elsewhere. Subterranean Disposition’s warm sense of nostalgic sadness has been consistent across its two albums, but four years of composition and concentration have in turn concentrated the (now) band’s emotion and made them more, for lack of a better word, real. Concentrating less on the more traditional The Silent Enigma-era death/doom metal trappings of its predecessor, Contagiuum suddenly has much more room to breathe. Though still rooted in the thick, melodic death/doom metal and psychedelia of Vainoras’s previous works, this new work organically incorporates elements of heavier, more traditional death and black metal (no doubt influenced by new drummer Dan Nahum), as well as the cinematic sounds of world music and a greater sense of ambiance. With this new, wider scope of naturally flowing influence, Contagiuum and the Landscapes of Failure exists on a grander scale and pushes Subterranean Disposition from a more underground scope to something greater and more formidable. This second album could very well launch Subterranean Disposition into the pantheon of great, melancholic Australian doom metal bands, putting Vainoras and Nahum alongside Mournful Congregation, Murkrat, The Slow Death, and Virgin Black. Funny how much can change in ten years.
It has been a long, long time since multi-instrumentalist Terry Vainoras’s tenure in short-lived doom metal duo InSomnius Dei. Once a random MySpace find (remember when MySpace was a valid catalyst for discovering new music?) a decade ago, this all-but-defunct Australian band seamlessly blended classic Peaceville death/doom metal with the panchromatic psychedelia of Pink Floyd’s classic works. Hindsight has rendered Illusions of Silence one of those now admittedly clumsy albums which are more effective as a nostalgia listen, but certain moments of “The Memories Of My Past” and their sole album’s titular track still hit me square in that special, cordoned off zone of buried, late teenage angst. Sometimes it’s hard to believe that band came and went so long ago, but, as luck would have it, the stars aligned and multi-instrumentalist Terry Vainoras (the other half of InSomnius Dei was Mark Kelson, for those who are curious) continued honing his craft with new band Subterranean Disposition.
Now on their second album, Contagiuum and the Landscapes of Failure displays both a maturation in Vainoras’s songwriting and a stronger sense of adventure elsewhere. Subterranean Disposition’s warm sense of nostalgic sadness has been consistent across its two albums, but four years of composition and concentration have in turn concentrated the (now) band’s emotion and made them more, for lack of a better word, real. Concentrating less on the more traditional The Silent Enigma-era death/doom metal trappings of its predecessor, Contagiuum suddenly has much more room to breathe. Though still rooted in the thick, melodic death/doom metal and psychedelia of Vainoras’s previous works, this new work organically incorporates elements of heavier, more traditional death and black metal (no doubt influenced by new drummer Dan Nahum), as well as the cinematic sounds of world music and a greater sense of ambiance. With this new, wider scope of naturally flowing influence, Contagiuum and the Landscapes of Failure exists on a grander scale and pushes Subterranean Disposition from a more underground scope to something greater and more formidable. This second album could very well launch Subterranean Disposition into the pantheon of great, melancholic Australian doom metal bands, putting Vainoras and Nahum alongside Mournful Congregation, Murkrat, The Slow Death, and Virgin Black. Funny how much can change in ten years.
Thy demons be scribbling review:
I thought I'd end this edition with one that I thought should be right up my alley and whaddya know? It is! Do I know myself or what?!? Death, doom and awesome. I listen to a ton of music but I always come back to doom when in doubt. More importantly to get me worked up it has to offer something different than the crowd since the crowd of doom bands seems to be getting more than a little ridiculous. SD keep it fresh with the infusion of death and the beautiful operatic alto of Gelareh Pour guesting on Embittered. The contrast on Embittered give a real beauty and the beast action that blows that Disney crap away (yeah I know it wasn't that bad but still!). There is also some saxophone mixed in which is something I've only heard another favorite of mine, Horn of the Rhino, do. This is one that I'll definitely find myself coming back to since there's a lot to digest and it's excellent. You can't beat a title like All Roads Lead To Perdition plus this is doom through and through, one hour for 6 tracks and not one you'll skip over. Also you can't really tell from the sound produced but this is a two man band which endears it to me that much more. Doom lovers rejoice here is another excellent album for you.
Fav Tracks: Embittered & All Roads Lead To Perdition
Feind's 1st Impression: 4.5 out of 5 Horns Up - this one could rise after a few more spins
I thought I'd end this edition with one that I thought should be right up my alley and whaddya know? It is! Do I know myself or what?!? Death, doom and awesome. I listen to a ton of music but I always come back to doom when in doubt. More importantly to get me worked up it has to offer something different than the crowd since the crowd of doom bands seems to be getting more than a little ridiculous. SD keep it fresh with the infusion of death and the beautiful operatic alto of Gelareh Pour guesting on Embittered. The contrast on Embittered give a real beauty and the beast action that blows that Disney crap away (yeah I know it wasn't that bad but still!). There is also some saxophone mixed in which is something I've only heard another favorite of mine, Horn of the Rhino, do. This is one that I'll definitely find myself coming back to since there's a lot to digest and it's excellent. You can't beat a title like All Roads Lead To Perdition plus this is doom through and through, one hour for 6 tracks and not one you'll skip over. Also you can't really tell from the sound produced but this is a two man band which endears it to me that much more. Doom lovers rejoice here is another excellent album for you.
Fav Tracks: Embittered & All Roads Lead To Perdition
Feind's 1st Impression: 4.5 out of 5 Horns Up - this one could rise after a few more spins