Album Type: Full Length
Date Released: 4/8/2014
Label: Burning
World,
Domestic Genocide,
Dry Cough Records
‘V’
DD/LP, track listing:
1). V1 47:15
2). V2 39:24
Bio:
Ommadon record
heavy doom by ourselves in the forest in the highlands of Scotland - all live,
no overdubs, no bullshit, just pure doom. Split across 4 sides of vinyl, the double LP was
mastered by Billy
Anderson (Sleep, Eyehategod, High on Fire, etc).
V will be released as a 180gram double-vinyl (gatefold) on August 4th but is available for pre-order now from Dry Cough Records (UK ),
Burning
World Records (Netherlands ),
and Domestic
Genocide Records (USA
V will be released as a 180gram double-vinyl (gatefold) on August 4th but is available for pre-order now from Dry Cough Records (
The
Band:
David Tobin | Guitar
Ewan Mackenzie | Drums, keyboards
Review:
Ommadon’s
‘V’ is a massive album in just about any way that you might want to measure an
album. Sonically, it’s gargantuan and weighing in at an hour and twenty six
minutes, it’s also a colossal time investment. The obvious question would be:
is it worth it? I would have to imagine that the range of experiences that
people will have with this album are going be all over the spectrum. I could
envision someone being infuriated by the length of an album with such a narrow
direction. I could also see someone enjoying the challenge of trying to sync
themselves with the seemingly structureless nature of the album. It’s easy to
get lost in an album like this unless you prepare yourself for what you’re
getting into.
The
omnipresent elements of ‘V’ are always the same: crashing downbeats, heavy
chords sustained for long periods of time and woozy guitar sliding occasionally
found in the interim. There are some moments of respite; most notably in the
second half of “Side B” leading into the opening third of “Side C”. Guitar
drone and noise take center stage before coming back to the deliberate
bludgeoning characterised during the album’s earlier stages. Because of its
length, there might be an inclination to call ‘V’ epic, but I feel like that
would be a bit misleading. Rather than taking you on some vast musical journey,
Ommadon seems content to stay in one place and crack your ribs with a sledge
hammer over and over again. I don’t mean that as an insult, either. They’re
dealing in a very confined musical space, and yet they’ve gotten so much out of
it. It’s really pretty remarkable in that way.
In
a sense, Ommadon have released one of the least commercial albums I’ve ever
heard. There aren't any drum beats sustained for any real length of time until
you get into the second half of Side C, so for the most part there isn't any
groove to get into. Even when the more traditional drumbeats do show up; they
usually just collapse into to a crawl when they started out walking. This album
is perfectly happy giving you a series of aural stab wounds for the majority of
ninety minutes. It’s too repetitive to just be doom and it’s way too
jarring to be drone. There are no vocals or lyrics communicating a message for
you to hold on to or to take with you. You’re there to take its beating, and
that is it. I know it really sounds like I’m writing a negative review;
but I’m not.
If
you want some reference points based on other albums, I can give you a couple.
Imagine an album where the overall production sounds like an updated version of
Thorr’s Hammer’s ‘Dommedagsnatt’, but was musically more like a completely
derailed ‘Rampton’ from Teeth of the Lions Rule the Divine. It’s like that,
except there are likely hundreds more downbeats on this album. I feel like I
need to reiterate that I actually love this album. I love this album because
it’s so preposterously barbaric and for such an extended period of time and
it’s beyond excessive. It’s an absolute endurance test, and by the end
of it I was not the same as I’d come into it. There aren't a lot of albums you
can say that about.
Words by: Daniel
Jackson
Pre-Order
or buy the LP the links below. Digital
copy if available for free here
Burning World: burningworldrecords.com/item/v-double-lp
Dry Cough: www.facebook.com/DryCoughRecords?fref=ts
Domestic Genocide: www.domesticgenociderecords.com
Burning World: burningworldrecords.com/item/v-double-lp
Dry Cough: www.facebook.com/DryCoughRecords?fref=ts
Domestic Genocide: www.domesticgenociderecords.com
For
more information:
