Vassafor – “Obsidian Codex” – [Parasitic]

Majestic funeral grimness manifest in a glowering fusion Of Black, Death and Doom metal (with Black as the dominant phenotype). New Zealand now-duo formed in 1994 and have previously released demos and EPs, but this 2012 2LP is the first full-length release, and boy is it full-length: the longest track occupies the entire C side. The songs deserve the extended runtimes most of them are given to develop, though, slowly unfurling as they do like brobdingnagian hate-flowers that eventually attract even more hateful and enormous insects. You hear everything through a fog, and arguably the exceptional songwriting here would shine more if the production were ‘cleaner’ but fuck it, maybe it will keep the hipster sheep away? Different styles of extreme metal perversity are fused in different ways throughout to evoke Bethlehem, Dispirit (or early Asunder), Beherit, both Congregations (The Dead one and the Mournful one) Teitanblood (if they were freezing to death) and the irascible War Metal stylings of Revenge and co. (as heard from the bottom of a well). Lyrics are ritualistic in some way I can’t quite make sense of (which is good), and VK (also of Diocletian, and former session member of The Chills!!)’s vocals are the distant shrieks and whispers of the ghosts of the buried-alive. Amid the sonic murk there are frequent moments of startlingly rich melody. That guitar riffs in this massively-explored style can still surprise with novelty is a testament to the band’s skill as well as their outsider approach… and perhaps also to an admitted fondness for psychedelic drugs. I dare you to play D1, or anything else, and tell me it isn’t great: but beware of close tracking. A1 and D2 are droney instrumentals. B1 and 2 are re-recordings of older material. Vassafor will play in the KFJC pit on February 11th, 2013. All glory to Thanatos!