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Suffering Hour - Dwell review




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Reviewer:
10

41 users:
8.2
Band: Suffering Hour
Album: Dwell
Release date: April 2019


01. Dwell

In the metal world of today, it is common for bands to opt either for riffs or for atmosphere. If you want to have your cake and eat it too, invest in Suffering Hour because they excel at both.

Suffering Hour surfaced in the beginning of this decade and have so far released their proggy and thrashy death metal Foreseeing Exemptions To A Dismal Beyond EP and their blackened death metal full-length debut, In Passing Ascension. I strongly urge you to listen to both immediately, if you haven't yet. Now, their latest offering is entitled Dwell and it is a one-song EP that clocks in at just over 18 minutes.

It seems long to you? Well, I wish it went on forever.

The guitar chords in the beginning of the track foretell the ominous voyage that you are about to embark on. The melody is soon seamlessly reinforced with tremolo picking until the bass and the drums kick in, and the whole thing transitions into a doomy riff that drills through walls of cement. The wormhole that appears leads to a tunnel where total madness is expressed with the blending of dissonant harmonies and monstrous riffs that evoke Deathspell Omega, Inquisition, Incantation and Dead Congregation. There is a certain illusion of order in an otherwise anxiety-provoking chaotic extremity, where you feel like you are the protagonist in an extraterrestrial chase and the music leads you to either run for your life while trapped in a shifting maze, or stand still and catch your breath in a state of disorientation and paranoid preparedness.

The atmosphere is unhinged, compelling and claustrophobic, relying on the thick -as if immersed in tar- sound, as well as the inspired and unconventional songwriting, which maintains fluidity despite the numerous build-ups, explosions and unexpected releases. The band's complex and progressive brand of blackened death metal has you wondering what they are going to come up with next, so that throughout the song's duration there is never a dull moment or a part that could have been omitted. "Dwell" is a challenging song that takes different forms, all bizarrely captivating and dense, and its swirling, unpredictable and immersive nature is sure to blow any extreme metal fan's mind.

I've been sitting on this review for what seems like forever because when I first came across Dwell I was overly enthusiastic and wanted to see if and how my impression of it would change with the passing of time before writing about it. I have now had countless listens and the result is this fanboyish dithyrambic piece. You must have noticed that I have stopped rating albums in my reviews for a while now but even back when I did, I never gave any release full marks. Well, there is a first time for everything.

"Submit to the boundless"





Written on 03.07.2019 by Only way to feel the noise is when it's good and loud!


Comments

Comments: 13   Visited by: 288 users
03.07.2019 - 00:31
nikarg

This is review #100. Big thanks to those who take the time to read my ramblings.
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03.07.2019 - 01:51
RaduP
CertifiedHipster
Written by nikarg on 03.07.2019 at 00:31

This is review #100. Big thanks to those who take the time to read my ramblings.

How do I heart react on Metal Storm
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Do you think if the heart keeps on shrinking
One day there will be no heart at all?
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03.07.2019 - 13:54
Swietowit11

They played this live when they toured with Sinmara. It was a crushing and memorable experience. This band and Blood Incantation seem poised to become the next "big names" in death metal. Hopefully this happens because they deserve it. Really friendly guys too!
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04.07.2019 - 00:09
Enemy of Reality
Account deleted
It's good stuff, but not 10/10 good.
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06.07.2019 - 01:20
nikarg

Written by Swietowit11 on 03.07.2019 at 13:54

This band and Blood Incantation seem poised to become the next "big names" in death metal. Hopefully this happens because they deserve it.

I'm not sure about them becoming "big names" but they both have loads of talent and know the importance of riffs. Can't wait for the new Blood Incantation album.
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06.07.2019 - 18:35
Rating: 9
ScreamingSteelUS
Editor-in-Chief
Never thought the first (non-joke) 10/10 review I'd see on the front page would come from someone other than me, but after listening to the EP, I understand. The atmosphere is incredible. I wouldn't give it a 10 myself, but it's definitely album of the year material.
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"Earth is small and I hate it" - Lum Invader

I'm the Agent of Steel.
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07.07.2019 - 14:55
Mercurial

Yeah, whether I may or may not give it 10 myself, it's a record where I think someone would have a hard time arguing why it's not worth 10, outside of their own taste preferences.
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08.07.2019 - 04:29
Rating: 6
SoUnDs LiKe PoP

This is slightly above average. Granted, people have differing opinions... but 10/10? This is what passes as perfection nowadays? With that said, I'm glad the reviewer enjoyed it so much, I'm slightly envious.
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I lift weights and listen to metal
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08.07.2019 - 11:04
Mercurial

Written by SoUnDs LiKe PoP on 08.07.2019 at 04:29

This is slightly above average. Granted, people have differing opinions... but 10/10? This is what passes as perfection nowadays? With that said, I'm glad the reviewer enjoyed it so much, I'm slightly envious.

For a blackened death metal album it's pretty exemplary. Unless you can think of better examples? (your ratings seem to consist almost entirely of power metal and melodeath so I can't infer otherwise as to what this is average in comparison to)
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09.07.2019 - 02:15
Rating: 6
SoUnDs LiKe PoP

Written by Mercurial on 08.07.2019 at 11:04

Written by SoUnDs LiKe PoP on 08.07.2019 at 04:29

This is slightly above average. Granted, people have differing opinions... but 10/10? This is what passes as perfection nowadays? With that said, I'm glad the reviewer enjoyed it so much, I'm slightly envious.

For a blackened death metal album it's pretty exemplary. Unless you can think of better examples? (your ratings seem to consist almost entirely of power metal and melodeath so I can't infer otherwise as to what this is average in comparison to)


I get that it's within the context of genre, but still. Yes, power metal and melodeath are two of my most listened to genres, but I listen to a good deal of other stuff, as well (hybrid black metal, folk, symphonic metal, pop, electronic, prog, easy listening, indie rock, etc.), so I don't think my tastes are too confined to appreciate this kind of music. I just didn't find it to be anything special. I could run some youtube blackened-death metal playlists for a few hours and hear several comparable bands. Just my opinion, though.
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I lift weights and listen to metal
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17.10.2019 - 00:54
Auntie Sahar
Drone Empress
This is quite nice, builds very well and isn't just a relentless barrage of blasts. The more midtempo moments are especially delicious and they transition well into the faster sections. I think I prefer Blood Incantation over this but both bands are definitely similar in that they seriously bring the riffage and create some wonderful atmospheres.
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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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06.09.2022 - 14:00
Rating: 8
F3ynman2000
Nocturnal Bro
Fantastic find! I love the claustrophobic yet compelling atmosphere and the recurring riffs altered ever so slightly to create a new uneasy tone
Quote:
There is a certain illusion of order in an otherwise anxiety-provoking chaotic extremity, where you feel like you are the protagonist in an extraterrestrial chase and the music leads you to either run for your life while trapped in a shifting maze, or stand still and catch your breath in a state of disorientation and paranoid preparedness.

you describe it well!
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06.09.2022 - 22:23
nikarg

Written by F3ynman2000 on 06.09.2022 at 14:00

Fantastic find! I love the claustrophobic yet compelling atmosphere and the recurring riffs altered ever so slightly to create a new uneasy tone

Two and a half years later, this is still a 10 for me.
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