The square. A magic symbol for times immemorial. An object that’s been revered not only in math but in many other mystical undercurrents that grew themselves some legs over the eons. And that’s how this band’s name – Kvadrat1 – immediately garnered some attention. And no, it wasn’t the killer artwork that made us pick up the piece this time. Much to the contrary, even if the 3D logo is kinda cool.
To define the quality of a record by the band name only would be silly, of course. From the moment The Horrible Dissonance of Oblivion struck our music machine, we were mesmerized. The fact that Kvadrat is yet another trve one-man show filled us with some dread first. But once the otherworldly eerie Post Metal intro with its airy soundscape petered out, this worry flew out the window. Already the first track, Υπογειος Λαβύρινθος (Underground Labyrinth), demonstrates a cocksure knack to expertly strap often cosmic atmospherics to tasty, yet subdued dissonance. The gaps easily disappear once the meaty Death and Black Metal riffs kick in with an abundance of tremolos thrown in for good measure.
In contrast, Ivan Agakechagias‘ relentless Death Metal growls perfectly complement the harsh riffing and expert but merciless drumming with truly powerful blast beats. Vocals that suddenly morph into strangely aggressive Black Metal rasps that would make Dani Filth squirm in terror. And while the vocals truly are a main pillar of the offering, they never gripe or linger anywhere in the back of the mix. Instead, you’ll find them slam in the middle, exactly where they should be.
But The Horrible Dissonance of Oblivion isn’t only pure metal terror. When dissonance meets a mix of ambient and atmospheric passages, this often feels like feathery shivers down your spine (Αμνησία – Amnesia, for instance). In other words, Agakechagias not only sprinkles some mood into the fray but also serves the listener with true emotion. To the point that the record sometimes sports some hauntingly melancholic fare. And yet again, the record never loses itself in some ersatz Doom Metal soundscape. Instead, da master artfully included subtle melodic injections where deemed appropriate. And this doesn’t suddenly turn THDoO into some sugar-coated terror.
Sparsely spread, the melodic elements seamlessly integrate into the pummeling realities of this record. For example, Ολική Αποσύνθεση (Total Decay) – the last track – almost drove us to tears with a terrible monologue and some poppy melodics. Warbling about the soundscape for half of the track really wasn’t the band’s strongest idea. But – suddenly – harshest Extreme Metal ensues with merciless growls that will scream their anguish straight into your face. And this catapults this track from neither here nor there into spheres where excellent songs live. In addition, you’ll find some true death doom on full display.
But finally, Kvadrat‘s The Horrible Dissonance of Oblivion is a truly remarkable and artful record. Stark, authentic, and melancholic soundscapes, driven by 50 shades of dissonance, compete with rough-hewn, eclectic Extreme Metal. A pristine production seconds the ebb and flow of unrelenting strain and apprehension, dark moods, and muscular emotions. Needless to say, the arrangement is near to perfection and none of the important elements get lost in the mix. And this is a feat that any band first needs to pull off. And to hear this kind of quality from a one-man outfit is even more astonishing. On a debut album, no less.
Finally, the band states that THDoO saw the light of day to – and I quote – “…remind, provoke, traumatize and disturb, to fuel and awaken the nauseating sensations of uncertainty, alienation, hatred, and pain.” So very true. Abject torment and seething fury in a close embrace. An almost perfect execution of the best cuts of Black and Death Metal on bedrock dissonance. A record that will continue to live on our internal playlists for a while to come. There you go, proof of the proverbial pudding.
Now, where’s that sophomore piece?
Ed’s note: There’s more dissonance to be had here. Oh, and the band found a spot on the Malevolent 2024 Series, too.
Record Rating: 8/10 | Label: Nuclear Winter / Desolate Depths / Total Dissonance Worship | Web: Official Band Site
Release Date: 4 April 2024
- Meaning, square in Uzbek, so we’re told. But then, Russian uses the same word: Квадрат in Cyrillic writing. Hmm. -Ed-↩