Odium is a band that should be known and loved by all fans of black metal. Unfortunately, they seem to be one of the most underrated bands in the genre. It is sad that they only released one album (a fantastic album at that). If they had continued to put forth more material and make a name for themselves, I have no doubt they would be held in the same regard as the most legendary black metal artists.
The Sad Realm of the Stars creates a depressing, atmospheric mood, while at the same time maintaining breakneck speed and anger. The keyboards contributed greatly to the atmosphere, remaining high in the mix but not drowning out the other instruments. While the keys tend to hold out long, sad sounding chords, the guitars also add to the depressing mood without sacrificing speed or aggression. At times the music enters a very melodic and beautiful sounding passage, most notably in the albums conclusion. “Riding the Starwinds.” Even the bass, an often-neglected aspect of the genre, gets its chance to shine occasionally on the album, such as the bass interlude found on “Toward the Forest Horizon.” The instruments truly convey a mental image of the stars, the vast emptiness of space, and the sadness felt upon contemplating this reality.
The drum work is fantastic. It is never boring or repetitive, often throwing in interesting fills and alternating tastefully between accurate blastbeats and slower tempos. This helps keep the listener’s interest, rather than letting monotonous drumwork lull the listener into a trance-like state of boredom that is found in sub-par black metal. Of course, this band exceeds all standards of excellence within the genre. The vocals, although rarely varying, are excellent as well. The high-pitched shrieks, emphasized by the occasional double-tracked vocals, also add to the depressive feeling found over the course of this album.
This band is easily one of my favorite black metal groups, and it pains me to see this album not receive the praise it deserves. The genre is overloaded with bands that imitate those that came before them, and rarely meet the standards set by their predecessors. Odium easily meets any and all expectations. While The Sad Realm of the Stars may be their first and only full-length, it could easily be compared to the classic albums that have received more attention than this unknown gem.