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Daevar - Delirious Rites review




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Band: Daevar
Album: Delirious Rites
Release date: January 2023


01. Slowshine
02. Bloody Fingers
03. Leila
04. Leviathan
05. Yellow Queen

Daevar's debut album represents the epitome of stoner doom — with all its merits and limitations.

I love when contrasts play a prominent role in music: the mix of elegantly sung vocals and punishing, noisome cries on Acid Bath's debut; the inclusion of the calm, thoughtful track "Collapse" in the midst of abrasive thrash on Vektor's Terminal Redux; the resonant growls battling the sweet guitar melodies on Dan Swanö's Moontower — in all of these examples, the dichotomy provides added value to each opposing element. And that's why Daevar's debut album also works so well. The beautiful, haunting female vocal performance would by itself be initially impressive, but might over time become monotonous. The same is true for the fuzzy stoner guitar riffs. They make for a pleasing hook, but would drag on and on as time progressed. However, when these two elements unite, the true dark magic takes shape.

Daevar are a brand-new stoner doom band hailing from home sweet Germany. While the record label seemed to be ambiguous about whether one can call Delirious Rites an EP or an LP, the fact is that we have five tracks summing up to 32 minutes of highly enjoyable music. Of course, it must be addressed that Daevar fall victim to the common criticism of all stoner doom bands: the issue of originality. Ever since Black Sabbath laid down the formula with Master Of Reality, there's only so much heavier and fuzzier you can go. Good stoner doom always sounds very pleasing, but there aren't many opportunities to innovate within the boundaries of the genre. Daevar do make some progressive steps by introducing a prominent frontwoman in stoner metal — a genre that has greatly lacked female voices (with the exception of Windhand), unlike gothic and power metal. But other than this element, the German three-piece ignore trying to pursue any break with tradition and rather focus on nailing their performance and songwriting skills. And man, do they nail it.

After all, most fans of this style don't want every band turning into a prog act. They simply want music that'll give them a good time. And that's where Daevar excel. There's the psychedelic, droning atmosphere akin to Sleep and catchy riffs you just can't help bob your head along to. The vocal performance is stellar, perfectly balancing the oppressive guitar-work with sweet, spectral lamentations. A surprising change in vocals appears at the end of the 10-minute-long "Leviathan", where the vocalist of fellow German stoner band Grin provides some impressively vicious accompanying growls:

"Fall free
Into your misery"


Each song sticks to its own singular riff in classic repetitive stoner style. Still, I must admit, the riffs are so simple yet effective that I don't mind the one-dimensionality at all. The music never becomes boring thanks to the aforementioned juxtaposition of the eerie, mesmerizing female vocals. Overall, I'd say the highlight here is the ominously lumbering "Leviathan", along with the two catchy singles "Leila" and "Yellow Queen" — but, really, you can't go wrong with picking any of these five tracks.

In conclusion, Daevar deliver a stoner doom performance of the highest quality. Give Delirious Rites a spin, and you'll find simple yet damn entertaining metal that's guaranteed to give you a good time.






Written on 04.02.2023 by The sign of good music is the ability to both convey and trigger emotion.


Comments

Comments: 9   Visited by: 86 users
04.02.2023 - 12:56
Rating: 8
Nejde
CommunityManager
I actually recommended them to musclassia in mid-December when I first discovered them but to my surprise this wasn't his review. Nice to see that someone else discovered them too I totally agree with F3ynman, you don't have to reinvent the wheel to release a really good album, the proof is right here. Hope this one gets remembered for next year's MSA.
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Bow to the King Hercules!
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04.02.2023 - 13:36
Rating: 7
musclassia

Written by Nejde on 04.02.2023 at 12:56

I actually recommended them to musclassia in mid-December when I first discovered them but to my surprise this wasn't his review. Nice to see that someone else discovered them too I totally agree with F3ynman, you don't have to reinvent the wheel to release a really good album, the proof is right here. Hope this one gets remembered for next year's MSA.


I did listen to this when it came out thanks to your recommendation, and was surprised to see someone else reviewing it, but I'm glad F3ynman did, because I wasn't going to get time for it. Tbh if stoner has another year like 2022 in terms of quality releases, I'd be disappointed for this to make the top 10; it does a good job of repeating what Windhand have been doing in the past decade or so, but I don't feel like it's an especially impressive rehash of Windhand, who've actually managed to put something relatively distinctive into records such as Soma
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04.02.2023 - 14:30
Rating: 8
Nejde
CommunityManager
Written by musclassia on 04.02.2023 at 13:36

I'd be disappointed for this to make the top 10; it does a good job of repeating what Windhand have been doing in the past decade or so, but I don't feel like it's an especially impressive rehash of Windhand, who've actually managed to put something relatively distinctive into records such as Soma


I don't really listen to that much stoner anymore and I don't actively seek out new stoner records either because, as mentioned in the review, it's only that much you can do when playing pure stoner. It stagnates really quickly. But sometimes something different pops up in my Youtube feed that piques my interest. This time it was the video for "Yellow Queen" and that's how I discovered Daevar. I really liked the lo-fi approach and the female vocals and that was that. Also, I draw no comparison to Windhand because I've never even heard them but I trust your words.
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Bow to the King Hercules!
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04.02.2023 - 14:56
Rating: 7
musclassia

Written by Nejde on 04.02.2023 at 14:30


I don't really listen to that much stoner anymore and I don't actively seek out new stoner records either because, as mentioned in the review, it's only that much you can do when playing pure stoner. It stagnates really quickly.



Indeed, which is why I'm glad there's enough bands doing something a bit more than just pure stoner such that we managed to pack the category full of them this year!

If you enjoy this album so much, I imagine you will likely enjoy Windhand
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04.02.2023 - 16:03
Bad English
Tage Westerlund
Listen to cuts atm, but you made me bussy later due extreme cold I did not drive skoter, could not use pull start, so I found time for extra music and this review is good written
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Life is to short for LOVE, there is many great things to do online !!!

Stormtroopers of Death - ''Speak English or Die''
apos;'
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I better die, because I never will learn speek english, so I choose dieing
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04.02.2023 - 19:08
Rating: 7
AndyMetalFreak
A Nice Guy
This is a solid release, I like it, obviously there's nothing all that original about it except maybe the female vocals in being a pleasant surprise for a genre which is extremely dominated by Ozzy inspired male vocalists. The sludgy riffs and heavy fuzz tone sound spot on even if a wee monotonous. Excellent review
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05.02.2023 - 13:59
Rating: 7
Draugen

Stoner/Doom lacking female vocalists? I don't know about that, there are so many bands of that kind that it is nothing original either at this point.
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05.02.2023 - 14:47
Rating: 8
F3ynman2000
Nocturnal Bro
Written by Draugen on 05.02.2023 at 13:59

Stoner/Doom lacking female vocalists? I don't know about that, there are so many bands of that kind that it is nothing original either at this point.

Ah OK. Like Andy said, I've mostly encountered male vocalists that replicate Ozzy's style.
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07.02.2023 - 15:55
Rating: 8
F3ynman2000
Nocturnal Bro
Written by Pelle on 07.02.2023 at 13:46

band was suggested here at the end of August but staff blacklisted them for unknown reasons... album was announced back then in August

I think it was temporarily blacklisted because a band can only be added to MS if the band have released a full-length album. Plus, it first was announces as an EP. Now the label called it an LP.
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