UMUR
"Distance | Collapsed" is the debut full-length studio album by Australian doom/death metal act Inverloch. The album was released through Relapse Records in March 2016. Inverloch was formed 2011 under the d.USK monicker but changed band name the same year to Inverloch. Inverloch features Paul Mazziotta (drums) and Matthew Skarajew (guitars) in the lineup, who were also members of the prolific early 90s doom/death metal act diSEMBOWELMENT. diSEMBOWELMENT released the groundbreaking "Transcendence into the Peripheral" album in 1993, but disbanded shortly after. Since the release of the 2012 "Dusk... Subside" EP, there´s been one lineup change as bassist Tony Bryant has been replaced by Chris Jordon.
Stylistically the material on "Distance | Collapsed" continues the heavy doom/death style of the "Dusk... Subside (2012)" EP. We´re of course also treated to the Inverloch/diSEMBOWELMENT speciality, which is occasional blast beat sections. A feature which is quite unusual in doom/death, and especially in funeral doom, which Inverloch can often be labelled. This is predominanly really, really heavy music though, with long sustained chords, and slow doomy rhythms. There´s an almost ritualistic occult atmosphere to the rhythm patterns, and the drumming is generally quite inventive. The vocals vary between low in the mix unintelligible growling vocals and a blackened snarling croak.
The material on the 5 track, 39:26 minutes long album is well written, compositionally unconventional (doesn´t follow a vers/chorus formula), and generally quite intriguing. For the style it´s also relatively varied and "Distance Collapsed (In Rubble)" and "Lucid Delirium", which are some of the more "busy" tracks on the album, are complimented by the more repetitive atmospheric tracks "From the Eventide Pool", "The Empyrean Torment", and "Cataclysm of Lacuna".
The musicianship is generally on a high level, and as mentioned above the drumming is especially adventurous. There are some really intriguing drum moments spread out on the album. Sometimes it´s just an off-beat cymbal crash or a section with double bass drums which work to great effect (so it´s not necessarily technically flashy playing), but it´s obvious that a lot of thought has been put into creating the rhythms on the album. "Distance | Collapsed" is a well produced album too, and upon conclusion it is an album where everything go hand in hand from the high level musicianship and the intriguing songwriting, to the well sounding production, and it´s through and through a high quality release. A 4 star (80%) rating is deserved.