Band:	Pylar
Album:	Horror Cósmyco
Style:	Drone doom metal
Release date:	November 08, 2019
A review by:	Auntie Sahar

01. Tinieblas Y Fulgor
02. La Nada (Se Cierne Sobre Todo)
03. Negros Abismos Sueñan Mi Muerte
04. Tenebrosa Armonia

Let it be clear that I'm not receiving any sort of bribe or personal reward for showering Pylar with lavish praise and adoration. I really do happen to think they're one of the best drone metal bands of the decade.

The mammoth Spanish five piece known as Pylar really do seem to do something new with each release, and for that they surely deserve to be applauded for the consistent evolution of their sound, if for no other reason. Whereas their previous album was quite jazzy, multifaceted, and perhaps the most sonically diverse yet, this year's Horror Cósmyco sees the band retreating to a more rudimentary form, featuring a style that's a lot more formless and less riff based than before. Indeed, while still loosely grounded in a doom metal core, this manifestation of Pylar appears to be focused much more on a thick, almost wall-of-noise approach, that seems to be exploring the very nature of sound itself, smothering the listener in a hazy veil of electronic whooshes and guitar feedback. Overall, the sound at play here is a lot spookier and more ominous, aptly reflecting the "cosmic horror" of the album's title.

Although not necessarily as grandiose songwriting wise as some of their earlier efforts, Horror Cósmyco still packs a lot to be discovered on the part of the listener, and has much denser layering than may initially be thought. Especially notable here would be the drumming of member Gamaheo, which is simply exceptional and could be his best performance yet, weaving interesting, almost improvisational-sounding patterns around the whirlwind of guitars and electronics. The only real (very minor!) complaint I have with Horror Cósmyco is the diminished vocal presence. Front man Lengua DeCarpa has proven himself to have quite the pipes on past Pylar releases, but here, as opposed to his usual, soaring performance, his role is much more confined to a quiet, whisper-like approach, which while still interesting, leaves a bit to be desired.

While Pyedra is still probably my favorite from the band, Horror Cósmyco really isn't better or worse than any other Pylar album? it's just different. The more stripped down approach to their sound here allows for something of a more haunting, meditative listening experience, and the tuned down vocal presence was perhaps intentional, for the sake of allowing the different elements of the instrumentation to shine more uninterrupted. Whatever the case, Horror Cósmyco is yet another triumph from these Spanish dronesters, further proving their relevance in the style and closing out what has truly been an incredible run this decade on a considerable high note.

Go and get it.