Dodecahedron - Dodecahedron review
| Band: | Dodecahedron |
| Album: | Dodecahedron |
| Style: | Black metal |
| Release date: | January 20, 2012 |
| A review by: | !J.O.O.E.! |
01. Allfather
02. I, Chronocrator
03. Vanitas
04. Descending Jacob's Ladder
05. View from Hverfell I: Head Above The Heavens
06. View from Hverfell II: Inside Omnipotent Chaos
07. View from Hverfell III: A Traveller Of The Seed Of The Earth
Dissonance for the sake of dissonance. I can think of many bands that have been tarred with such a brush. In many cases those distinctions aren't warranted; said bands repudiate such claims by exploiting variety, restraint and poise and make an art form out of cacophony. However I find giving Dodecahedron, Netherlands' newest bright sparks in the boundary pushing world of avant-garde black metal, such benefits of the doubt somewhat difficult at times. A common comparison you'll find laid next to this entity amongst reviews and descriptions is that of Deathspell Omega and, in a sense, that comparison is accurate and justified: Dodecahedron do exude the style of riff that have defined and made the French legends so revered (though not before the likes of Ved Buens Ende did the same) but it's done here in such a predictable and obvious manner that the majority of the moments seem unfathomably forced, consisting of every imaginable anti-riff lined up for sake of being the band that so desperately wants to be more "anti" than all the others. So much so it misses the point entirely. The avant-garde riff, bastardised beyond all recognition.
To be fair Dodecahedron do occasionally feel like they're doing something right and moments meld together quite nicely, such as the flow of "View from Hverfell II: Inside Omnipotent Chaos" (unsurprising considering its relatively conventional approach) but ultimately substance alludes them as a unified body of sound and ideas and the band fall back on garish blasting noise as a constant. Quite often the music is punctuated by absurdist, monstrous, electronically amplified vocals whose purpose of terrifying the listener is so flagrantly obvious that it's instantly rendered into caricature and parody. "Descending Jacob's Ladder" is the prime example: a childlike attempt at dark ambient horror that is more laughable than horrific.
From a visual and aesthetic perspective it's not hard to see why the internet populace has cottoned on so readily to Season of Mist's new Dadaist's. The name and form given to the band speaks volumes to the modernity within black metal and there's nothing wrong with that, music should always be pushed forward. What's more this kind of blasting horror has a nice, tasty market waiting for it in avant-post-industrial black metal circles which is most certainly en vogue in the current climate. But is it worthy? I would say no. Just because something has a semblance to Deathspell Omega it doesn't necessitate an instant free pass to greatness and Dodecahedron too often veer short of what makes a truly great and deep weaver of disturbing aural tapestries.
The result, in the end, then is little more than a one dimensional and hollow afterthought of the dissonant, modern masters that are Deathspell Omega, Blut Aus Nord and The Axis Of Perdition, the occasional highlight tears Dodecahedron briefly from mediocrity. Technical mastery of extremely well played nothing. Like a zombie this is cold and unquestionably "evil" but it is also a rather lifeless and soulless shell of what it should be.
Written by !J.O.O.E.! | 15.03.2012
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Comments: 45
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306  |
Nicely said, Joe.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| X-Ray Rod Skandino Staff Posts: 18374  |
Written by [user id=127414] on 07.04.2012 at 22:58 Which is?
---- Written by BloodTears on 19.08.2011 at 18:29 Written by Milena on 20.06.2012 at 10:49
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| Marcel Hubregtse Grumpy Old Fuck Elite Posts: 40071  |
Written by [user id=127414] on 07.04.2012 at 22:58 weakesest response I have seen here since ever... Now crawl back behind your keyboard and statr to be the warrior you pretend to be over at other forums... you ******* ***** I wonder how many people you reallly spoke to in the real life black metal worl. Judging from your replies that would be none.
---- 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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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
From the two songs I listened to on their Bandcamp page, this isn't the worst thing I've heard. It's far from enjoyable though. They seem to try too hard at mixing DSO with Anaal Nathrakh or something and it comes out rather directionless. 6.5/10.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| R'Vannith ghedengi Elite Posts: 3099  |
I'm beginning to see what you mean in your review. Of what little I've heard of this sort of Black metal this sort of feels a bit.. I guess not completely hollow but somewhat of a husk of what it should be. There's more to it than just a bastardisation of the 'avantgarde riff' I would say, sounds like there's enough substance to it. From what I can gather you're saying its highly exaggerated to the point.. well to the point that it misses the point.  There are times when it does it well though I think. At what point was this predictable though?  Do you mean the music itself is predictable, or its purpose (i.e going for that avantgarde 'look at me I'm different' feel)? Or is that pretty much one and the same? I mean when I listened to it at first I certainly didn't have the foggiest what was going on. Maybe I just haven't listened to enough of this sort of thing.
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| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted Written by R'Vannith on 16.04.2012 at 06:53 Well no music is entirely predictable, only predictable in the sense that there were no surprises in where they took it. For me this is on a similar level to a modern day tech-death record that extols technical workmanship over depth, only in this case it's in anti-riffs and dissonance. In fact in reflection I find this has a remarkable amount in common with tech death. At the end of the day tech death has practically nothing in common with death metal at any rate. To many though that's exactly what they want: pure dissonance, but something I've always loved is being taken to brink of extremity then being given a glimpse of something the opposite: a counterpoint, a harmony, something that gives it all new meaning. All this seems to have is stretched out slower sections with some ambient thrown in. It's all extremely monotonous and samey. I didn't really get anything here that I can't get from other bands, only done with more atmosphere, skill or pizazz. As a matter of criticism I'd say this band need to concentrate more on their 'View From...' side than their first movement. More substance and songwriting there for sure. Ultimately this just lacks a unifying identity from which their sound comes from. It's little more than a pastiche of other band's works and approaches hastily glued together with no real sense of progression or craftmanship. (I'm actually listening to this again now just to be certain and I'm no more impressed this time round after a big break from their music).
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| R'Vannith ghedengi Elite Posts: 3099 |
Written by [user id=4365] on 16.04.2012 at 15:13 I see, so basically the way they construct their music here is predictable. Sounds very samey to me too, but in saying that it also doesn't have a sound I could have anticipated. Its unpredictable in a predictable way is what you're getting at I think. Its an emulation of the characteristics, which are essentially the use of those unconventional elements which identify them, of those bands you mention with no real ability to offer something which breaks free of a purely copycat scenario, they just can't deliver something unique. That is in their attempt to be unconventional they are pretty much sticking to a plan laid out by other bands, so not unconventional in any sense at all really.
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| Troy Killjoy perfunctionist Staff Posts: 21306 |
Finally got around to finishing this the other week and forgot to re-visit this thread to tell you my thoughts.  For the most part the review is spot-on, especially the second paragraph. I found this to be a decent listen but I honestly wanted more from it. It teases you the entire time and then bam, it's over. And you're like... cool. Well I guess I should go listen to something else now. Not captivating at all, but not offensive.
---- "Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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| !J.O.O.E.! Account deleted |
!J.O.O.E.!
Account deleted Written by Troy Killjoy on 26.04.2012 at 02:50 Glad to know we're in the same ballpark ;] The best way to really get a good perspective of this is to play it in alternating fashion betwen DsO, BaN etc. Paints a pretty good picture of how this is merely a shell of sorts of what can be done with this style. As you say it's far from bad but lacks the meaty animal part under the shell.
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