Music, being the most emotional of all arts, throughout the centuries was believed to present the full spectrum of included keys instantly, to capture the listener’s attention and for keeping it for as long as possible in a state, in which the overall condition favours the further perception. Around that, the infamous music masters started to create and have advanced the music into what we now understand as modern music art.
Station Dysthymia attracted my attention a while ago, with their debut full-length work “Only Grey Days”, where the most important music influences already have been shown, despite the work being of a self-production type. After some resonance in the underground, the guys immediately have comprehended the fact that a perfect tool is required here in order to “cleave the superfluous slag” from their music monolith and to sculpture a veritable work of art. This perfect tool, a magician or simply an alchemist of sound was rightfully chosen in the face of Greg Chandler and his Priory Recording Studios. Besides that, the initial recording was done at the already famous Primordial Records, known for shaping the sound of Russian doom metal avant-garde. A combination of these two facts leaded the band to a reputable result.
“A concrete wall”, the opening track, immediately starts from pouring the listener into the imponderable delay tangles of layered guitar clean tone. Sophisticated manipulation of effects produces an excellent introduction to the first attempt on breaking through the concrete wall. The down-tuned, almost arid distorted guitar sound hits the inside walls, smashing the happiness with numerous diabolus in musica. The perfect stereo panning of two guitars, leaving the whole space in the middle of the mix to leads and rhythm section, allows the SD orchestra chelate to capture the mind of the listener and continue with telling the story about being stumbled at the deaf wall of concrete. Among the not infrequent changes of the composition’s palette, the band introduces several unique things that may appeal to any accuser of the common sense in music experimentation. One of the things, is the utilisation of throat-singing during one of the ambient moments of the song. The idea in itself introduces yet the surprisingly untouched direction, where a lot may be introduced into the emaciated body of doom metal, especially if with funeral tag.
On “Ichor” the authors continue using their most powerful weapons to date and hereby exploring the hidden dimensions of sound landscapes. Notorious, pure structures of the song are solidly supported by the maliciously aloof growling, being one of the best among the most low-pitched ones. Slow progression throughout the track leads the listener into the “Starlit” chapter, containing two parts, one of which is a fully instrumental near 10 minutes track.
The simple playing around with slowest tempos, haunting one-note leads and up-beat growling vocals have driven the authors to a ridiculous tempo discharge on the 6th minute that has forced me to dance with my shoulders throughout those 25 seconds, while keeping serious post-grimace on my face. This move supports the open-minded reputation that the band has gained through the previous hour of their music. It pushes the band’s limits (or abilities?) even further.
Station Dysthymia is not a generic funeral doom metal band, but a collective that explores the aforementioned hidden sonic dimensions by the means of simple things, simple approaches and of straightforward, but underlying messages.
This is a decent and definite piece of doom metal art that every admirer of the genre must peruse thoroughly. With unrestrained interest, I recommend looking forward to the next full-length album, because guys possess full arsenal to surprise us. Bravo, Siberia.