Dimensiónes del trance kósmico

The Californian "Black Twilight Circle" has always intrigued me. Following the in same tradition of the Norwegian "Inner black circle", the Russian "Blazebirth Hall" and other such formations all around the world. The two main bands within this group that I have always enjoyed listening to are Volahn and Blue hummingbird on the left. The whole atmosphere surrounding these bands is very obscure and that sort of facade is very difficult to maintain nowadays, in the internet age. Volahn formed in 2003 and "Dimensiones del Trance Kosmico" stands as their debut album. My first experience with this band was listening to their sophomore album which sounds both similar and wildly different from their first foray.

Unlike its successor, the debut album is much less focused on themes such as compositional complexity and use of traditional instruments to create a wild, foreboding atmosphere. The first thing that is important to note about Volahn and the scene to which the band belongs, are very vocal about their Amerindian heritage. A lot of cultural motifs from pre-European cultures are used very creatively both in the music and the imagery and artwork. The album starts off on a very serene note, with the lead guitar playing some pretty beautiful yet morose clean guitar passage, which then slowly but very decisively culminates into a full on satanic assault on your senses. The guitars are enveloped in a thick buzz, giving them a very sharp tone that goes extremely well with the overall production. The drum work on this release is pretty decent, however it fails to create any sort of interesting vibe of its own, and largely relegates itself to keeping up with the guitar, all the while sounding very uninspired and distant. The vocal work is pretty good, and the sole person behind this project, does a very good job at projecting a diabolical picture of himself.

Volahn's debut album contains seven tracks in total and lasts for around three quarters of an hour. The general mood is very sorrowful, but also very bellicose at the same time. The guitar melodies are very reminiscent of iconic second wave guitar riffs. Most songs have a very frantic vibe, and sometimes it gets kind of hard to keep up with all the numerous textures present within this release. When it comes to creating a surreal, almost trance-like ambiance, Volahn does a very good job. Volahn makes use of ritualistic sounds to amplify the dark atmosphere conjured up by the black metal elements of this release. This sort of amalgam work very well and keeps thing interesting and fresh.

When it comes to the overall quality of the music on display on "Dimensiones Del Trance Kosmico" is very respectful. Released in 2008, more than a decade ago, it still sounds very interesting and captivating in general. There are certain parts throughout the entire album that become more and more appealing the more you listen to them. Although it is not quite as good or technical as its successor, this debut album has enough substance to be considered a very good album.

A key figure in the Black Twilight Circle of black metal bands based in southern California must surely be the man Volahn (Eduardo Ramirez to his family) who releases short albums on cassette tape in his own name and also has other releases under different projects (Axeman, Ashdautas, Kallathon, Shataan) both as a solo artist or member of a group. "Dimensiones del trance kosmico" is much in line with what Volahn has done with Axeman whose release "Arrive" I've reviewed elsewhere on MA: psychedelic blackened death metal that beguiles listeners into following musical passages that are often very beautiful and atmospheric into a world of existential annihilation and eternal hell. No-one else I've heard quite does hell the way Volahn does: chaotic, tortuous and full-on brain-destroying extreme, out-doing even Satan and his loyal hordes at their worst - and don't I LO-O-OVE it!!!

A gentle and light if rather acidic melody leads us into otherworldly faerie realms where we promptly fall under a barrage of fiery noise-buzz guitar and furious tinny drum attack. Demons scream in triumph as they surround us on all sides and jump on us unawares. From here on in, there's very little pause or let-up in Volahn's strategy of attack on all fronts: guitar blitzkrieg flashes across the sky, martial percussion, the occasional acoustic guitar interlude in the constant machine six-stringed gun fire. All the while there is agonised howling and screaming as casualties fall on both sides.

When the music keeps on pounding you, individual tracks can be hard to pick out. The album is not so long that it can't be heard in one sitting though exposure for the full 43 minutes could be life-threatening. "Uno con Kaos" stands out for full-on demon lightning guitar attacks and a couple of tracks following are crazed and obsessively single-minded in their mad onslaught. "Trance Ceremonial" takes on a slight acidic desert-Western feel in its relaxed pace; it speeds up as the track progresses, acquiring a demented grandeur in parts as it does so. The vocals never let up in their screeching and piteous howling. Final track "Caliz del Purgamiento" mixes up riffs, rhythms and percussion beats in a surprisingly varied song that also features a long passage of very light acoustic guitar flutter through dark valleys and hills.

The sound is shrill and tinny: the production job on this recording is fairly lo-fi which actually detracts from the recording considerably. The music can sound thin and flat without bass-heavy rhythms to give it support and substance. The drumming is good but is sometimes lost under those steaming acid noise guitars. As it is, the album can be wearying and even a bit irritating when its production makes it one-dimensional for the most part.

This truly is a journey into other dimensions of cosmic trance but do not think that it will be a pleasant ride: contact with beings of this other world may send you as deranged as those poor souls whose cries resound in the far distant background on the album.

Without an introduction, sans the association as the guitarist for Long Beach, CA's ASHDAUTAS, who had any idea that Dimensiónes del Trance Kósmico would come with such an extremely strong showing as a debut. From the opening finger-picked instrumental passage, into the shriek that sets the mood for pitch-black desolation, Dimensiónes del Trance Kósmico opens up a world beyond most anyone's conscious, or any subjectivity begged from what you believe your "blackmetal" can be.

Think of Bergtatt, and the pure aesthetic that came with it. Think of Kronet til Konge, and the floral bass notes that Fenriz played. Elements such as these are present in Volahn's style, but not equal to, because neither Bergtatt nor Kronet til Konge are synonymous with the chaos that is exhibited through the tremolo picking coupled with dissonant keyboards. Vocals echo throughout the middle of the music, as if it leaps forth from a cosmic riff in the sky. Imagine an eagle swooping down towards you: you see beauty, and you are in awe of its grace. Like the eagle, Volahn displays itself as powerful talons, ripping apart your psyche with the most exquisite of tears. If you were so lucky as to have your body accepted as a sacrifice to the eagle’s glory, then you would not be cut short to do the same for Volahn.

“The master reflects inwards to see outwards. The quieter you become, the better you can hear.”

Both of these quotes remind me of Dimensiónes del Trance Kósmico. The more I hear Volahn, the quieter I become. The quieter I become, the better I can hear. The more I hear, the more I see inside my soul a dissonant chaos. The more chaos I feel, the more I feel the wings of the eagle spread within me. Volahn sets forth from start to finish in this order, with each track becoming more mournfully aggressive (strange oxymoron). With the ripping vocals giving way to an occasional higher-pitched yell (as opposed to the ‘scream’) and with quickly-played beats that match the floral bass lines, the entire backend of this mix allows for it to be punctuated by the melodic guitars shredding the exterior. I simply cannot express how meaningful and sincere this release is. Forever flying, Volahn is the carrion.