My uncalled for and probably wrong on a factual basis presentation of Deathspell Omega

Listening to heavy metal, and black metal in particular, we grow accustomed to certain codes, certain expectations. Despite being, by nature, the musical embodiment of rebellion against any form of establishment, black metal is one of the most authoritarian genres. As such, the scene feels somewhat stale, starved for new ideas. The time of Mayhem, Darkthrone and Burzum is well over now - the edge and grit of those days has given its place to a sad parody of itself. Just looking at band pictures over on Bandcamp, Last.fm, or anything, we see black and white photos of the band member dressed up in corpse paint, over and over again, each trying their best to look like tough guys. Same goes for the album covers.

Some have sure tried to break free from this creative prison, and we see bands like Alcest and Deafheaven popping up, finally bringing some fresh stuff to the table. However, for many of those post-black metal bands, it's more about the post- than it is about the black. This is not necessarily a bad thing, obviously, and while I always enjoy a good Alcest record, sometimes it fails to properly scratch the itch.

It's a hard challenge, mixing up the oh so strict codes of black metal with some new ideas, and the line between innovative and gimmicky is always very thin. A band that, to me, has struck that balance perfectly, is Deathspell Omega, a French band (or collective would be a better term) from Poitiers. It is black metal, and not even the most sunless cave-dwelling elitists could argue with that. And yet, they bring a musical proposition that feels to me like it's never been heard before. The exact genre of their music might fall somewhere under the umbrella of 'psychedelic avant-garde black metal', but it is so precise a label that it fails to convey much meaning.

Instead, a phrase I find very descriptive of their work is the title of a track in the 2012 EP 'Drought', which is called 'Abrasive Swirling Murk'. Indeed, listening to most of their discography, you'll be faced with hypnotic, dissonant, and yet sometimes very aggressive riffage. The drums are relentless, and yet masterfully crafted. Where you would ordinarily hear unending blast beats for the whole duration of the song, they are here limited to the most intense parts of the song, and often accompanied with a diverse array of frantic, often syncopated percussions. You'll remark however that they are very rarely absent, even if relegated to the background. Melody-wise, the tension of the main riffs is only ever resolved by some mellow, uncomfortable arpeggios that don't really let you catch your breath. And, a thing uncommon enough to be mentioned, the bass sometimes lets itself be heard, especially in bridges, and does a wonderful job as a foundation for the wall of noise that is DsO's music.

To someone unfamiliar with them, or with black metal in general, that probably doesn't seem like an attractive description. And, while it is true that this is maybe not the most accessible music, there is something addictive to this mess, some sort of cathartic joy. It is very easy to lose yourself between these dense layers of noise. They draw you in, and don't let go.

The 2010 album 'Paracletus' is to me and many the most representative of that whole vibe. It begins with 'Epiklesis I', a relatively soft (for DsO standards at least) introduction that is very good at setting the tone and the atmosphere for the rest of the album, with its raspy vocals and repetetive phrases. Following this is the song 'Wings of Predation'. It surrounds you with some classic DsO riffs, taking up all space in maximalist fashion, up until the middle of the track, which leaves some room for some weirdly groovy chord progressions. After this one follows 'Abscission', and then, a peculiar bridge that I really love, 'Dearth'. It is a feverish ballad with a duo of guitars, one for the melody, and one accenting some musical phrases. Some spoken lyrics in French are peppered over it. They are somewhat edgy, but do a wonderful job at reinforcing the atmosphere while giving a much needed break in an otherwise frantic album. We are now at 'Phosphene', the climax of the album. I'll leave out this one and the rest of the album to not spoil everything and encourage you to go listen to it if that looks like something that might be of interest. It ends with 'Apokatastasis Pantôn', a symphonic and melancholic wrap-up that left me, when I first listened to the album, completely dumbfounded.

Overall, this is a very cohesive album, and it is quite hard to listen to it by parts. All the songs flow into each other perfectly, like a story unfolding. This is true for much of their discography, each album developing on a single, consistent theme. 'Paracletus' in particular is part of a trilogy, exploring themes of divinity: Godhood, Manhood, and the Devil. Although a classic trope of black metal, it is to me tastefully done in a way less shallow than the otherwise Halloweenesque satanism that scared everyone in the 90's.

Their lyrical content is in great part inspired by Georges Bataille, with many direct quotes. He was a philosopher (although he claimed he was not, along with many others), who took himself very seriously (he was a big fan of Nietzche after all). His ramblings about human nature and psyche mostly escape me, but some of his views on materialism, and the attraction of humans to the macabre, are a perfect fit for the weird, aggressive atmosphere of DsO's work. Some of the lyrics however are less abstract and more political, especially on the later albums. For instance, their latest EP, 'The Long Defeat', is a vehement take on the ideology of progress, and, dare I say, almost anarcho-primitivist in its tone.

You have ploughed the soil and left it poisoned.
Eadem, sed aliter!
So, the fruits of the earth turn to blight in your mouth.

It's just the right blend of the classic black metal edge and cryptic but meaningful lyricism that make you want to spend hours trying to make sense of them, and share your interpretation with others.

Another great thematic piece is the 2019 album 'The Furnaces of Palingenesia', that describes the rise of an authoritarian fascist regime. Rising from the discontent of the men of resentment, it grows like a tumor by federating people with hate and destruction.

We will grant you freedom from freedom!
We will burn and not explain, and this will feel extatic!

Altogether, I feel DsO is a (not-so-) hidden gem in the black metal scene. They are quite popular in their niche, but having done no liveshow whatsoever, and always concealing their identities in the few interviews they give, they maintain an aura of mysteriousness which, for me, is just really on point. Many people believe their main singer to be Mikko Aspa, the man behind Clandestine Blaze and notorious piece of shit, but if that's the case it seems like he has little to no say in the artistic process. Indeed, DsO have often described themselves as a collective more than a band, spanning far-right to far-left on the political spectrum, with the actual decisions being taken only by a few key members, of whom we know very little. This changes nothing about the music (they made a whole album dunking on fascism after all ), but is still something to keep in mind for the advised listener.

For me at least, they have also been an gateway to the realm of what I've been calling 'Psychedelic avant-garde black-metal' (a term I completely made up, by the way). Other band offering a similar atmosphere that I like include Blut aus Nord, Oranssi Pazuzu, and the lesser-known Wormlust.