Abhorrence in Opulence

It's likely possible that the composition of new material would have been a hard task for Ophis, after the emotional outburst and artistic peak they reached both in Stream of Misery and Withered Shades. It's really difficult to have created two crushing albums and then to come up with an equal follow up. Many bands have tried to reproduce their greatest moments with b-side left over riffs, ending up to a total failure. I know that every band has it's ups and downs as inspiration doesn't come in demand and I'm resilient to weak moments of bands that have proved me their worth. I'm also open to experimentation attempts. So, to be honest, I was ready for the best as well as for the worst scenario when this album came out.

In this disc appear the first few, almost imperceptible for the unitiated listener signs of creative fatigue. Already from the first track the sequence of notes that is used in the construction of riffs, sounds too much familiar. Nevertheless, except of some small references to older ideas, sloppy repetition doesn't occur here and thanks to a slight turn of direction the band has taken by adding more death metal and groove in the mix, this album has proved to be great. What dominates here is not sorrow as you may expect, but fierceness.

One of the basic changes is in the structuring of ideas. While in the previous albums the structures had a naturally flowing sequence, the songs here feel vast and untested, growing an anxiety of the unexpected. There's a threatening sense in this album, as if you have to cross a long impassable path surrounded by flames, or a massive limbo, where danger awaits in every corner. There are falling stones and waltzing demons. Penetrating death metal tremolo riffs flow like streams of boiling magma, approaching closer and closer to you and just before they get you, the landscape changes as if you've been awakened from a nightmare...but you're still dreaming in an altered dreamscape where the sinister lead and clean guitar progressions feast like worms upon your flesh. The themes and riffage are of the same quality and style as in the past offerings, though more vicious and nightmarish. The sure thing is that once again the music is, pure Ophis, meaning it sounds modern and old school together, highly melodic and brutal at the same time.Cannot think of a single doom, death, or doom/death band that has a similar sound. Irrespective of their influences from the 90s, Ophis have certainly created and sustained through the years, a personal style and a recognizable sound. An essential element that brings a modern character here is the strong and steel tint of the bass which is high in the mix and shines throughout the whole album. The vocals are, as usual abysmal and multifaceted, and even more varied this time. I'll say it again, the voice of Philipp Kruppa is one of the greatest instruments in this band and it maintains an important role in the creation of the Ophis poisonous atmosphere. The things he does with single or double voices and his tonal alternations are maybe the best in the whole genre.

Though there is a modern aura around the whole concept, this album is old school too, both in its doom and death expressions. The fastest and ''deathiest'' till now, full of blasts and double pedals, and the most uplifting with lots of headbanging riffs. Maybe it's a grower but once it gets you it won't let you sometime soon. Be it the production, the nostalgia of riffs or don't know what but the old school feeling you finally get is addictive and pleasurable. There's a variety of ideas and each track has I'd say a specific aspect that differentiates it from the rest. There's the old schoolish ''Ressurectum'' with it's doomy riffs paying serious homage to Candlemass, the perilous and whimsical ''Disquisition of the burning'', the melodic and hooky ''Waltz Perverse'' and the groovy and ferocious ''Somnolent Despondency''. And of course there's ''Among the falling stones'', an Ophis soul crushing mighty classic, in the likes of ''Black Wish'' and other older epics. Reasonably this track appears often in their concert setlists. Overall this is another varied and interesting Ophis album, maybe not their best but still a great one.

I'm convinced by now that Ophis always work honestly to craft and offer something worthwhile. I suggest this album to any doom/death fan along with the entire Ophis discography.This specific album may prove appealing to the fans of old school death metal as well.