Dwelling Below returns two years later.
Still supported by their label Transcending Obscurity Records, Jared Moran (vocals/drums, Acausal Intrusion, Occulsed), Anthony Wheeler (bass, Hollowed Idols), and Nicolas Turner (guitar, Acausal Intrusion, Sermon of Rot) unveil Wearisome Guardians, their second album.
The album mercilessly begins with Wearisome Guardians, the first long track, which is as dissonant and oppressive as possible, proudly cultivating its sticky sounds and dirty mix in both the instrumental and macabre vocals. There are a few more energetic passages in this chaotic progression, but the sound remains suffocating throughout, relying on a few harmonics to maintain the anxiety as the heavy sound advances, only calming down to join Unfolding Universe. The bass kicks in, followed by feedback and then the other instruments, which settle into its dark groove before suddenly accelerating, conveying a certain heady urgency, while the guitar offers disturbing, airy touches that are much more melodic than on the previous track, although still a little jerky. We are finally granted a moment of respite with the aptly named Interlude and its minimalist touches, but the wall of sound comes crashing down on us again with Termination Experiments, which returns to its imbroglio of elaborate but unexpected riffs that relentlessly assault our eardrums, multiplying the dissonant parts at will but also the morbid growls that blend in perfectly. The sound remains as dirty and unhealthy as ever, making the slow passages even more terrifying, but the rhythm picks up when The Altar takes over and offers a more imposing, almost grandiose approach to this organized musical chaos, which moves from one wave of rage to another, stringing together complex patterns at a rapid pace. There are also a few slower passages that allow us to catch our breath before attacking the haunting Sacraments and its melancholic accents, which quickly become feverish and gradually invade our minds as the band plays, tirelessly repeating the same motifs before finally abandoning us in its darkness and closing the album.
Those who are not yet familiar with Dwelling Below may be skeptical about these six tracks of anguish, heaviness, and constant oppression. However, Wearisome Guardians is a veritable treasure trove, but like all treasures, it must be earned and reveals itself only to the bold.
85/100
