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Usnea - Random Cosmic Violence review




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Reviewer:
8.3

18 users:
7
Band: Usnea
Album: Random Cosmic Violence
Release date: November 2014


01. Lying In Ruin
02. Healing Through Death
03. Random Cosmic Violence
04. Detritus

With 21 categories and 10 nominees per category for our annual Metal Storm Awards, it's inevitable that some albums are going to go unnoticed. One that may have missed your glance in this past edition was Usnea's self titled debut, a powerhouse of pounding doom, a dynamic black metal touch, and ensnaring atmosphere. Not even two years later, these Americans are back at it yet again, looking to solidify and expand upon their sound, an effort at which they certainly succeed with Random Cosmic Violence.

Usnea's sound essentially boils down to occult-tinged blackened doom, with much more of a focus on the doom side of the equation than the BM. The music on Random Cosmic Violence is a logical continuation of the band's debut, primarily riff driven and undercut with a fantastic sense of melody and atmosphere, both in the instrumentation and in the mesmerizing delivery of the clean vocals, which sound like the shamanic chants of some sort of spellcaster. The mysterious and hypnotic feeling conjured by the latter especially helps to build upon the occult theme at work here, and the riffage, though it may seem repetitive and monotonous, really seems to be working towards some sort of ritualistic trance state.

But of course, Usnea were never just about the doom, and the extreme side of their personality rears its head on Random Cosmic Violence as well, most notably on the title track, easily the highlight of the album. The vocals are a painful blend of menacing shrieks and thundering growls, and when they get going with some blast beats and tremolo picking, the results are truly superb. The only real complaint here is that this approach wasn't utilized more often, but at the end of the day Usnea are doom first and black metal second, so it's understandable. This "extreme occult doom" feeling at work here conjures a lot of thoughts of Usnea's contemporaries in Atriarch, and, curiously enough, both bands actually do hail from Portland, Oregon.

Blackened doom has always been a pretty limited phenomena, and with the few albums released in the department for this year, Usnea's sophomore effort is a definite gem. Here the band went for more of an emphasis on melody and atmosphere, a "less is more" approach with the extreme elements, and it worked. The fact that these guys are willing to try new techniques to refine their sound demonstrates their commitment to growth, and they're clearly going places with it. Keep your eyes on this band. My gut tells me that while Random Cosmic Violence isn't their masterpiece, it's a prelude for one to come in the near future.

Give it a spin.


Rating breakdown
Performance: 9
Songwriting: 9
Originality: 8
Production: 9





Written on 19.11.2014 by Metal Storm’s own Babalao. Comforting the disturbed and disturbing the comfortable since 2013.


Comments

Comments: 10   Visited by: 119 users
19.11.2014 - 16:32
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Well, Usnea - Usnea was nominated in 2013. But seeing who they were upp against it is not weird they came in tenth.
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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19.11.2014 - 16:42
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 19.11.2014 at 16:32

Well, Usnea - Usnea was nominated in 2013. But seeing who they were upp against it is not weird they came in tenth.

Station Dysthymia got my vote for E. Doom, other than that though, the only albums I'd say were better were Funeralium and Lycus
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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19.11.2014 - 16:52
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Written by Auntie Sahar on 19.11.2014 at 16:42

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 19.11.2014 at 16:32

Well, Usnea - Usnea was nominated in 2013. But seeing who they were upp against it is not weird they came in tenth.

Station Dysthymia got my vote for E. Doom, other than that though, the only albums I'd say were better were Funeralium and Lycus



Of all those nominated only Monolithe and Eibon were worse than Usnea for me. Everything else was better, way better.
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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19.11.2014 - 17:28
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 19.11.2014 at 16:52

Of all those nominated only Monolithe and Eibon were worse than Usnea for me. Everything else was better, way better.

I dunno, I guess I just like my extreme doom when it's really occult themed, I get that a lot with Usnea. Don't care what you say, this is straight up awesome
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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19.11.2014 - 17:35
Marcel Hubregtse
Grumpy Old Fuck
Written by Auntie Sahar on 19.11.2014 at 17:28

Written by Marcel Hubregtse on 19.11.2014 at 16:52

Of all those nominated only Monolithe and Eibon were worse than Usnea for me. Everything else was better, way better.

I dunno, I guess I just like my extreme doom when it's really occult themed, I get that a lot with Usnea. Don't care what you say, this is straight up awesome



My problem with occult themed is that it is already such a cliched and recycled theme. Everyone is doing it currently and have been doing it for a couple of years now. It is old already.

That Usnea album wasn't bad at all, just that I prefered the others I mentioned.

Haven't heard the new Usnea, yet, though.
----
Member of the true crusade against European Flower Metal

Yesterday is dead and gone, tomorrow is out of sight
Dawn Crosby (r.i.p.)
05.04.1963 - 15.12.1996

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20.11.2014 - 04:59
tea[m]ster
Au Pays Natal
I remember digging their debut. I'll have to revisit it and check this out - thanks for the review.
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rekt
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20.11.2014 - 12:03
Rating: 9
MHShokuhi

Thanks for the review and the Bandcamp link. it's something rather new for me to hear BM and DM (which i love) near each other. i'm going to get this album soon
----
Shake the silence and hear what it say ~In Flames
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20.11.2014 - 17:57
Susan
Smeghead
Portland, Oregon! The land of Agalloch!

Excellent review; got me very interested. Listening now on bandcamp
----
"A life all mine
Is what I choose
At the end of my days"
--The Gathering "A Life All Mine" from Souvenirs
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04.01.2015 - 21:23
Susan
Smeghead
I never posted back about my listening session but I love this record.

" My gut tells me that while Random Cosmic Violence isn't their masterpiece, it's a prelude for one to come in the near future. "

I'm going to go ahead and agree with you there.
----
"A life all mine
Is what I choose
At the end of my days"
--The Gathering "A Life All Mine" from Souvenirs
Loading...
04.01.2015 - 23:09
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
Written by Susan on 04.01.2015 at 21:23

" My gut tells me that while Random Cosmic Violence isn't their masterpiece, it's a prelude for one to come in the near future. "

I'm going to go ahead and agree with you there.

Hehe, thanks. These guys have definitely become one of my favorite extreme doom bands to pop up in recent years. Also, thanks for commenting in the first place, as you've now indirectly reminded me that I need to get on those Immensity and Frowning reviews!
----
I am the Magician and the Exorcist. I am the axle of the wheel, and the cube in the circle. “Come unto me” is a foolish word: for it is I that go.

~ II. VII
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