Really?? Racer sends me this album to review with the word “pussy” in the title, and it's guaranteed that I'm at least going to listen to the album. I reviewed two albums last year, and they were great albums, but I listened to them initially because they had the word “vulva” in the album title. I'm not saying I'm predictable, but come on, he had to know what he was doing here.
I have to admit, I didn't know anything about Opium Warlords prior to this release landing in my lap. This is the kind of stuff I really dig, but it's also the kind of stuff that I really have to be in the mood for. Because this music is really kind of meditative. It is definitely along the lines of what the cool kids refer to as post-metal, and there are some raging moments where you will have no doubt at all that this is properly considered a metal release, but there are also times where you will find that the music has led you to close your eyes and ponder life's mysteries.
This is another in the fine metal tradition of one man bands, which are much better than the guy with a bass drum strapped to his back whilst playing guitar and kazoo, and I'm going to take a stab that Mr. Sami Albert Hynninen hails from Finland. According to the press release, Mr. Hynninen has had a rough go of it over the past 3 years and this album is a result of that. I'll buy that, this sounds like music that was made by someone who has gone through more than the usual shit that life throws our way. In addition to being meditative, it is by turns psychedelic, droning, black metal, martial, and overall very engaging, which is not what I expected after the first listen. But it has that trick that all good music has, which is, it gets a little hook in you and you want to hear it again, and again, and again. Something in your soul connects with something in this music. And BAM!, you're writing a review.
I particularly like the 2nd track, “Slippy”. It is in fact very slippery in that it bounces between styles and genres in a way that is almost incoherent yet makes perfect sense. Also, track 4, “This Wind Is A Gift From A Distant Friend”, gets high marks just for the title, but is also one that got my attention. It is a little more linear than the other tracks on the release so maybe a little easier to digest, but it is also very good.
If you're in the mood for a metal rager, these are not the tracks you are looking for. If you've had one of those days and you just need to melt away for a while, if you need music to wash over you while you unwind, if you indeed want to meditate on the pussy in the sky, whatever that means, this will suit you well. It is music that does not fit well into any genres but it is definitely interesting and challenging and it is worth giving a listen to.
-ODIN
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