On Death and Cosmos

Another line-up, another release for Italian avant-garde metallers Ephel Duath, who have been raising eyebrows since 1998. 6 albums later, the On Death And Cosmos EP doesn’t seem any easier to understand at first glance, but that comes to its advantage. Masterminded by Davide Tiso, he brings onboard his wife Karyn Crisis (ex-Crisis), Marco Minnemann (ex-Necrophagist) and Steve DiGiorgio (ex-Death, ex-Testament etc.) for a brief foray into jazz-inspired metal that is almost a side-gate into the band’s previous releases. There are references to Pain Necessary To Know in particular, although I remain unfamiliar with the rest of the band’s catalog for a stronger comparison point.

“Black Prism” starts on a peculiar note, with the oddest element manifesting itself quickly: Karyn’s unique and memorable vocal style. Part-black metal rasp, part-harsh singing, it contorts itself around the emotional lyrics, overlapping in places: “Look through me as I dissolve/Trying to catch a glimpse of something and give it back/Feed the circle”. The guitar melodies tread a line between post-metal and jazz, and efficiently at that. Meanwhile, the bass and drums weave their own voices, the former flirting now with the drums, now with the guitars. There’s little of a structure per se, as the song meanders to its jazzy conclusion, providing the springboard for the next track.

“Raqia” is a smoother number, floating in a jazzed haze for a while before injecting some sludgy atmosphere into the mix. The bass really comes into its own on this song, leading the way for a time while Karyn continues shrieking and snarling on top. The guitar work takes several rounds to digest properly, for which Tiso should be commended, as it renders this EP as the antithesis to a one-listen throwaway. The insanity of this track draws some elements of Unexpect, although with less cacophony and more jazz, and the song eventually pulls up to an abrupt close.

“Stardust Rain” closes the EP as the most adventurous track of the bunch, also blending in an undeniable swing, particularly in the inventive drumming. The vocals are fairly unrelenting this time, and along with its unpredictable oscillations, it’s the hardest of the three to absorb without repeated exposure. It doesn’t leave the strongest of impressions, but then Ephel Duath don’t appear to aim for that as their goal, instead treating this as an exploration with the newfound Karyn at the vocal helm.

On Death And Cosmos is an interesting 19 minute discovery which provides fresh elements for the older fans and twisting surprises for the initiates. Don’t expect for everything to slot into place on first impressions, but given enough spins, this EP becomes very rewarding in its own right. The next full-length will be one to look out for, but for now Ephel Duath have provided a strong stop-gap, for fans of Shining (Norway) and Unexpect.

Originally written for Metal Recusants (metalrecusants.com)