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Bölzer – Soma EP

Jul 31 • Reviews, The Slumbering Ent • 3453 Views • No Comments on Bölzer – Soma EP

Achintya Venkatesh reviews the new EP from Bölzer titled Soma, released via Invictus Productions.

Artwork by Alexander Brown of BNB Illustration & Design

Bölzer has in recent years produced one of the most refreshing takes on extreme metal, blending bludgeoning death metal with the atmospheric sensibilities of black metal, birthing one of the most unique aesthetics to hit a largely derivative extreme metal landscape in a while. 2013 saw the Swiss duo produce a truly fantastic EP of titanic proportions with merely three songs. Stylistic innovation and creative song-writing without the direct usage of eclectic ploys à la keyboards, synths, electronic samples, etc., is certainly something that is commendable, and Bölzer does precisely that. Essentially, the band takes the blackened death metal riff phrasings that similar contemporary bands such as Necros Christos, Antediluvian and Mitochondrion utilize a step forward. However, the syncopative riff phrasings written by KzR results in an aesthetic that is uniquely sonorous and in tonal value rather unique to Bölzer.

Certainly, Bölzer are masters at achieving a rounded sense of artistic pursuit, as their fine balance of musical individualism and primordial imagery attest. ‘Steppes’ showcases gradual rather than immediate development in terms of riffs – percussive tremolo picking, sustained by controlled tempo builds onto melodic nuances and minor shifts in structure, which is otherwise rather stable. ‘Labyrinthian Graves’ on the other hand is more rhythmically intense, with muscular riffing being alleviated by frequent phrases of quickly picked melodies. This song in particular showcases a rich offertory of tonal textures, some extending riff motifs within a song while others bring compositional relief via cleaner tones (such as the outro to the song in question), or rhythmic cadence to a given segment, although the song is certainly not ever-evolving by any means and eventually does employ recursion.

Accompanied by the thunderous howls of vocalist/guitarist KzR and the meticulous tempo regulation and kinetic finesse of HzR, ‘Soma’ showcases a band in a nascent stage of sorts as far as its sound and compositional sensibilities are concerned, in an experimental yet confident manner. ‘Soma’, while not as confounding as its predecessor, still presents the aforesaid riff ideas of the band in a manner that doesn’t take one by as much surprise, as opposed to serving as a rostrum for the compositional evolution of the band. In that sense, it is less appealing upon immediate inspection, as the songs seek to pursue different riff motifs and pace that are as atmospheric and resonant as they are explosive, painting abstractions that evoke the thematic explorations at play – invoking the Goddess Luna, warfare and the deference of the physical being. However, while this EP is not an avenue for immediate appeasement, it is a grower, putting it simply and is a testament to the versatility and on-going creative development of the band, in addition to being a teaser of sorts for greater things to come.