DIABLOUS ABSCONDITUS

After completing it's groundbreaking black metal series of albums that constituted the unholy Satanic trilogy, DEATHSPELL OMEGA wasn't done terrorizing the world with its caustic uproar of jagged progressive black metal composiitons that promoted highly advanced theological Satanism but proved it was just getting started as this French band released two more EPs before taking a much needed break for several years.

Emerging the year after "Paracletus," the one track release DIABOLUS ABSCONDITUS featured a 22 minute and a half frightening journey through a multitude of soundscapes seemingly originating from the bowels of hell yet effectively cranking out a never-ending processions of demons that allowed DEATHSPELL OMEGA to focus on the slower aspects of its sonic palette in order to craft some of the creepiest doom-ridden sounds that the band had crafted.

Proceeding much like post-metal with cyclical guitar riffs, DIABOLUS ABSCONDITUS finds plodding guitar riffs accompanied by the bass and lackadaisical drum rolls along with Mikko Aspa's ominous vocal raspiness that cast a hypnotic although terrifying spell as the guitars slowly become echoey as if the band was fading in and out of our perception. While rhythmically monotonous with a steady beat that is punctuated by only occasional outbursts of aggression, the star of this show is the guitar which features a deliciously evil cauldron of tricks that offer enough variety to keep the entire run engaging.

Likewise the musical accompaniments such as the bass and drums also find clever yet seductive means of mastering a perfect triumvirate of instrumentation while the lyrics barrage the soul with darkened themes and slamming mind tricks. Perhaps the least aggressive of DSO's jarring canon, DIABOLUS ABSCONDITUS nevertheless finds enough room to bring out the big guns with the expected bantering din-fest that assaults the senses with all those by now familiar outbursts of aggressive fury.

Perhaps not the most developed of the DSO releases, this one still is amazingly effective in scaring the bejeezus out of anyone who hasn't acclimated themselves to this otherworldly musical effect that sounds like a soundtrack to the underworld. It's utterly amazing how DSO can crank out so many different stylistic approaches with the same ingredients firmly in tact. The true genius of DIABOLUS ANBSONDITUS is how the subtleties conspire to create and effective sum of the parts with the usual contrasts and shapeshifting effects that haunted the Satanic trilogy albums that preceded.