Dark Buddha Rising - Dakhmandal - review
Dark Buddha Rising - Dakhmandal - review
Tracklist
01. D02. K
03. H
04. M
05. N
06. L
A review by
Auntie Sahar June 04, 2013
With bands like Dark Buddha Rising, that have a relatively simplistic approach to their songwriting, it's not that difficult to take a minor alteration in the music and turn it into a huge evolution of the overall sound, and this is exactly what happens with Dakhmandal. This time around the band seem to have focused a lot more on melody and vocals with their musical formula. The vocals, when they do appear, are cleverly placed around the peaks in the music, especially towards the ends of "K" and "N," almost as though they help the songs build up to their climaxes, and this is a new technique that really makes the music feel a lot more "complete," so to speak. In addition, the vocals usually come across as having quite a choir-like effect, which goes along excellently with the band's whole Buddhist/meditation themes.
Other than that, the fifth installation in the Dark Buddha Rising saga isn't really much different from the band's previous efforts: the repetitive guitar and bass-lines chug along at their slow, crawling paces, gradually building up to groovy, almost jam-like atmospheres the longer they extend into their duration. And, as usual, the eerie ambient effects of the keyboards help to add a whole, separate dimension to the band's music (opener "D," and the beginning of "M," particularly), giving them a strong sense of distinction that easily separates them from your average drone band.
With Dakhmandal, as you listen it somewhat feels like Dark Buddha Rising have some kind of secret hidden behind the multiple layers of groove and ambience that they craft. Some type of deeper, higher meaning that only further escapes your grasp the harder you try to understand it, an elaborate mind game of sorts. But, of course, that's just part of what adds to the allure of the music. There's truly something to be said of this whole "less is more" direction of the drone bands: the repetition of basic musical rhythms and patterns can conjure a sort of mesmerizing trance, almost like some kind of ancient shamanic ritual, and Dark Buddha Rising hit the nail of this concept right on the head with their latest release. Have you ever wondered what Dopesmoker would've sounded like as a dark ambient album? Well, wonder no more, my metal brethren, because Dakhmandal just might be your answer.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 8 |
| Songwriting: | 9 |
| Originality: | 7 |
| Production: | 8 |
Written by Auntie Sahar | June 04, 2013
Comments
Comments:
8
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Posts: 447  |
Posts: 447
I ended up listening to some of their music after Oranssi Pazuzu recommended them in an interview I was reading. If those guys were digging it, I figured I should give it a listen. I enjoy Dark Buddha Rising, but I wouldn't go running around the world telling everyone about them (unlike Oranssi Pazuzu haha) Good review man, definitely describes their sound, and from the sounds of it I'll enjoy it.
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Posts: 5989 Written by Chobo_jokeR on 05.06.2013 at 01:57 Yeah, I had known of them before that, but that interview was how I found out that Dakhmandal was even set to come out this year at all.
---- 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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Posts: 447 |
Posts: 447 Written by Auntie Sahar on 05.06.2013 at 02:14 Ahhh I gotcha. Oranssi even linked a song from Dakmandal on their facebook page, so they must respect the guys quite a bit.
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Posts: 5289
I just listened to this. Pretty much what I expected but I am not sure I dig it. I am not a huge fan of this type of music. You described the music perfectly and as someone not very familiar with drone music anybody can tell from this review whether or not to try it or skip it all together. Well done.
---- rekt
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| LuciferOfGayness
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| Posts: 5989 |
Posts: 5989 Written by [user id=157444] on 08.06.2016 at 14:40 I would say it's more so because drone just isn't something that you commonly listen to in your spare time. I love the fuck out of the genre, but even I'm not going to throw on something like Sunn O))), or Bong, or Nadja, when I'm just going about my everyday activity, you know, writing a paper, driving, working out, whatever. You have to be in a very particular mood for it, and I don't think many people really even get in that kind of mood to begin with. Probably 80% of my drone listening occurs in the final hours before I go to bed, personally
---- 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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| LuciferOfGayness
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LuciferOfGayness
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Maybe it has to do with age? Im impressed with guys as old as me headbanging to death and trash when I need at least 15 minutes of slow doom or drone as a runaway to start headbanging  The last part of M on this album makes me  
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Posts: 5989 Written by [user id=157444] on 08.06.2016 at 16:56 Indeed, M and K are the definite highlights here, methinks 
---- 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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