Album Review: Ba'al - Ellipsism
Reviewed by Robbie Maguire
Have you ever asked yourself what you actually want, enjoy and draw from music? Try it. What one person hears, feels and takes from a particular song, moment or whole album will be altogether different from someone else. From those who listen for the company music creates to those who obsess and analyse, music should at least create an inner reaction and one that triggers some kind of emotional response. Post metal is one of metals sub genres which should provoke the listener to have these deeper reactions to music whilst still ensuring the thirst for sonic fulfilment is satiated. To be able to convey these inner feelings through music is a challenge but one which Sheffield four piece Ba'al undertake on 'Ellipsism' with understated confidence and with devastating effect.
Greeted with the opening sounds soaked in feedback and with a menacing tone instantly you are sucked into a tidal wave of sonic brutality. With gut punching ferocity ‘Long Live' delivers an extreme slab of sludgy blackened metal. The sheer force of the music is immediate. Changes in tempo, clever and subtle make for an enthralling listen and the song doesn't relinquish its grip even when the restrained moment of ambience in the form of an atmospheric soundscape comes to the fore. The calm is much needed and allows some respite before the post metal angular chugging chords present themselves. With an outro riff that would make most bands green with envy Ba'al show that darkness and doom can make for a sinisterly thrilling listen.
The sonic punishment persists as ‘An Orchestra of Flies' pulls you into its doomy monotonous heartbeat and takes you on its journey punctuated with ups and downs until it spits you out with its crushing climax. It’s a dark place where the sheer power is so gruelling it feels close to becoming too overwhelming but small subtleties and nuances in the wall of sound allow you to remain hooked and captivated. Ba’al make light work of enabling their style of music to feel so hypnotic and entrancing, something many bands within the extreme world seem to have difficulty with. Everything sounds so cohesive on Ellipsism and the fantastic crisp but gritty production courtesy of Joe Clayton enhances the raw and primal feel to the music.
The presence of the interlude tracks with their mildly soothing qualities add a fragile and timely presence. To say they are interludes is maybe a disservice but they do allow for the contrast of the harrowing and sinister with the lighter and dare I say brighter aspects of this predominantly dark album. The blackgaze rears its shimmering face on ‘Jouska' which has one of the most accessible and beefy riffs you’ll hear in a long while. It’s as ‘mainstream’ as you can get whilst retaining the levels of extremity that Ba'al excel in. The melancholy is tangible as sorrow threatens to consume. Ellipsism is the sadness and disappointment one feels when their mortality will mean they miss out on future events. A very real concern for many. Intended or not, those fears and anxieties come through in the bleak and desolate parts of the album. In contrast the beautiful addition of viola in ‘Father the Sea, the Moon' and on two of the interludes accentuates the mournful beauty but adds a surreal lightness to the album. It's these subtle additions and changes to their sound that make for an invigorating listen. From the gnarly crust core and lashings of doom in ‘Father the Moon' to the sombre Funeral doom-esque intro to ‘Rosalia' and onwards Ba'al continue to progressively push Ellipsism on to it’s very nearly overwhelming conclusion. Quite how they can produce achingly beautiful moments as they do with the serene viola infused section on the final track is testament to their vision and endeavour to take risks. Risks that pay off.
Ellipsism has all the trademarks you’d expect of modern post black metal album and Ba'al execute their playing masterfully. They draw on so much more influence than merely BM here though. Harrowed screams and disturbing wails to ethereal distant spoken word both sit suitably placed in the mix to not be overwhelmed nor to overpower. The post rock elements give the much needed depth and character and the amalgamation with post hardcore adds to make a joyous communion of blackened, raging metal and post rock fragility and beauty. The band effortlessly ease through the album with a cohesive togetherness. The drums sound immense, truly binding everything as one and purposefully pushing this epic album onwards.
It is rare so early on in an album for it to be clear that immersing oneself in Ellipsism is not going to be a comfortable experience but it will yield deeper and surprising hidden gems as it reveals its dark charm. As emotionally immersive as sonically powerful, Ellipsism will astound and amaze. Can darkness be so captivating and thrilling? It can here and on Ellipsism it is.
So going back to the original question? If music which creates an inner feeling and emotional response is for you but simultaneously gives you a thunderous adrenaline infused punch to the senses then Ellipsism is is for you. Don’t let this intensely stunning album pass you by.
