Pothamus - Abur - review
Pothamus - Abur - review
Tracklist
01. Zhikarta02. Ravus
03. De-varium
04. Svartuum Avur
05. Ykavus
06. Abur
A review by
musclassia February 19, 2025
Of the three interconnected Mechelen-based bands mentioned above, Pothamus were the second to form chronologically, but are the third to release their sophomore album, taking plenty of time to assemble both of their full-length releases to date. They are also arguably the odd one out stylistically compared with the progressive tendencies of the other two; while Psychonaut have had their more ethereal moments (thinking of the title track of Violate Consensus Reality), the droning, tribal direction of debut record Raya really distinguished Pothamus from their contemporaries, and that sound translated incredibly well to a live setting when I caught their set at ArcTanGent 2023. At times, their music in that show and on Raya borders on the transcendental, and Abur is even more spiritually resonant.
The post-metal on Raya could fluctuate between hazy ambience, hypnotic grooves and dwarfing walls of sound, and the fundamentals remain in place this time around, although the dronier aspects of Pothamus are enhanced this time around by the incorporation of a surpeti (or shruti box). Further depth to the mix is also brought by drummer Mattias Van Hulle adding backing vocals to harmonize with guitarist Sam Coussens’ calming cleans. Both these cleans and his harsher roars are heard when the first vocals of the record kick in early in opening track “Zhikarta” to herald the arrival of a driving tribal drumbeat, powering along with the gnarly distortion of Michael Lombarts’ bass. From the off, the trio are working in perfect synchrony to bring together purposeful groove, sumptuous texturing, and an all-engrossing atmosphere arguably rivalled only by the shrouding of A Swarm Of The Sun when it comes to pure atmospheric focus within this genre.
“Zhikarta” is a perfect introduction to the album, and to the band as a whole for anyone as yet unacquainted, as it incorporates the full range of Pothamus’s heaviness, hypnotism and ethereal aura. The following two songs are both shorter, and segregate these extremes a little. “Ravus” begins with purpose, the drums pounding a relentlessly marching rhythm away; the song ebbs and flows in intensity, but gradually grows towards a climax of powerful distortion underpinning a beckoning repeated vocal refrain. In contrast, “De-varium” eschews such heaviness for ethereal vocals and drones (the surpeti can be heard clearest here); later in the record, “Ykavus” returns to this ambient focus, channeling the vibe of some of Colin Van Eeckhout’s music released under his CHVE moniker.
There’s a very particular vision to the music of Pothamus, and it won’t be for everyone, even for fans of the genre as a whole; as for me, though, I’m in love with the soundscapes they craft, the spiritual energy they deliver and the tension they build. I also enjoy the contrasts that they explore here, such as the venomous rasps delivered against an understated instrumental backdrop during the insidious opening minutes of “Savartuum Avur”, although this song does reach a peak of crushing force that is as cathartic as the preceding builds are entrancing. All those elements come together one final time on the colossal 15-minute closing title track, a song that spans the range of Pothamus similarly to “Zhikarta”, but has more time to fully mine and extract all of the glorious strengths from that sound.
Abur is an excellent refinement and subtle enhancement of the virtues of Raya, and makes evident that this trio are in firm control of their intended style, and are operating in complete harmony with one another. I sincerely hope Pothamus make their way back across the channel at some point in the near future, as I can’t imagine how overwhelming these songs sound live.
Rating breakdown
| Performance: | 8 |
| Songwriting: | 9 |
| Originality: | 7 |
| Production: | 9 |
Written on 19.02.2025 by
Written on 19.02.2025 by
Hey chief let's talk why not Comments
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Haven’t gotten around to checking this band out but given your rating and the other bands referenced it seems I’m long overdue
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