Band:	Crust
Album:	Dissolution
Style:	Blackened doom metal, Sludge metal
Release date:	December 2023

01. The Color Of Void
02. He Carries The Fog
03. I Serve You And Oblivion
04. Grave Await
05. God Made Some Hearts Of Stone
06. Captivi Infernis
07. The Maniac King
08. Morrigan
09. Blazing The Trail In The Land Of Suffering

Crust seems a fitting title for a band more than capable of pummelling their way through the Earth's crust with their Earth-shattering tone, and Dissolution is an equally fitting album title, as the sheer heaviness could well signal the end for us all.

Crust are a Russian blackened doom/sludge trio consisting of Artur Filenko (vocals/bass), Vladislav Tatarsky (guitars), and Roman Romanov (drums) that formed back in 2014. The band currently have five full-length releases under their belt, starting with their 2019 debut The Promised End and culminating in this year's latest effort, Dissolution.

The nine tracks of Dissolution are based lyrically upon issues surrounding degradation of morality in contemporary society, as well as miseries, misfortunes and shifting values. This release also marks a shift in style for the band as they opt for a more blackened approach, with richly melodic guitar arrangements, in addition to featuring more post-metal elements, although the dark atmospheric soundscapes and heavy sludge/doom tendencies from previous albums remain present. How successful is this more blackened melodic approach?

The album opens with the gripping atmospheric intro piece "The Color Of Void", which leads into the pure, devastating heaviness of "He Carries The Fog". This track begins with a classic mid-tempo sludge riff delivered by a crushingly heavy guitar tone, and backed up by meaty bass and powerful drumming. However, listeners don't have to wait long until the mid-tempo heavy slog erupts into something much groovier; here, blackened wailing leads are introduced, intertwining with melodic tremolo riffs and subsequently frenzied blast beating, as the deep gnarly growls become powerful aggressive shouts. The whole track is a groovy rhythmic fun surprise; with the following songs, things get more and more unpredictable, as you'll find no track sounds the same.

"I Serve You And Oblivion" is next up, and from the beginning this track opts for a more doomy approach, with a bone-crushingly heavy slow doom slogging riff, and mid-paced thunderous pounding drumming beats. As before, it isn't long before the wailing leads kick in and the tempo rapidly increases; from here, the riffs become more melodic, and this is helped by an excellent drumming performance, along with a light synth presence that helps create a more dramatic atmosphere. "Graves Await" is next; this is the most blackened track so far, opening with a ferocious tremolo riff, but the riffs regularly fluctuate between mid-tempo sludge and highly melodic tremolos, and the speed goes from middling to frantic. Of note, this song ends with a soft acoustic melody and windy synths: an unexpected and unpredictable outro, for sure.

As the album progresses, it continues to keep the listener engaged with its unpredictable songwriting. "God Made Some Hearts Of Stone" traverses traditional doom, black, and then sludge, all of which is topped off with a classic Iommi-like solo, while "Captivi Infernis And The Maniac King" more heavily emphasizes black metal up until it introduces one of the album's most catchy and memorable riffs in a later sludge passage. "Morrigan" is a much darker track that is clearly more post-metal oriented; closing song "Blazing The Trail In The Land Of Suffering" also incorporates elements of post-metal after an opening that is traditional black metal through and through. Great solos, exceptional drumming, striking synths, and a soft acoustic passage all make this final song one of the most structurally diverse here, turning it into a memorable closer.

Dissolution is as enjoyable and groovy as it is crushingly heavy, and offers a whole array of genres, from doom and sludge to post-metal and black, offering moments for every metal head to appreciate and hopefully enjoy.