{"id":106551,"date":"2025-05-16T15:01:08","date_gmt":"2025-05-16T15:01:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/106551\/"},"modified":"2025-05-16T15:01:08","modified_gmt":"2025-05-16T15:01:08","slug":"entheomorphosis-pyha-kuilu-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/106551\/","title":{"rendered":"Entheomorphosis – Pyh\u00e4 Kuilu Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"If I\u2019ve learned anything from Dark Buddha Rising<\/strong>, it\u2019s that drone metal goes hand-in-hand with spiritual awakening. The blinding light of transcendence and the shadows of the occult are parts of the same jagged landscape of existence, and the abyss rules beneath, embodying both creation and destruction. Gentle and ruthless in equal measure, drone metal\u2019s tides of mountainous riffs and thunderous tones offer the secrets of the universe and the nonexistence that perpetually threatens every fiber. Dark Buddha Rising<\/strong> exemplified this in its Buddhism-influenced aesthetic tied to hypnotic and ritualist drone, pulsing percussion, and a flurry of vocal attacks to conjure and invoke a dark trance. With their ongoing hiatus, Entheomorphosis<\/strong> takes up the mantle.<\/p>\n

Appropriately, Entheomorphosis<\/strong> is the spiritual successor of Dark Buddha Rising<\/strong>, taking its namesake after its 2009 album of the same name, its primary architect being former guitarist\/vocalist Vesa Ajomo. A quartet, other members include Mr. Peter Hayden<\/strong>\/PH<\/strong>\/Enphin<\/strong> alum Lauri Kivel\u00e4 (also of Alitila<\/strong>) on bass and JP Koivisto (also of Vallihauta<\/strong>) on guitar, as well as Lassi M\u00e4nnikk\u00f6 of Gangrened<\/strong> and Ludalloy<\/strong> behind the kit. While Dark Buddha Rising<\/strong> offered a surprisingly nimble and balanced approach to drone in energetic percussion and obscure vocal approaches, Entheomorphosis<\/strong> embraces the sprawl and a more predictable vocal dimension, alongside a much more erratic percussion presence. Debut Pyh\u00e4 Kuilu (\u201choly abyss\u201d in Finnish) embraces the spiritual awakening of shedding old skin with shuddering tone abuse and glacial crawls in its favor, even if it pales in comparison to its mother act.<\/p>\n

Pyh\u00e4 Kuilu by Entheomorphosis<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

Entheomorphosis<\/strong> does a great job of compacting drone metal\u2019s most trademark features in a tidy thirty-five-minute runtime, thanks to concise songwriting. It features four tracks, with the bookends comprising the main movements (\u201cAlkiema,\u201d \u201cI\u00e4t\u00f6n\u201d). These are the transcended Arhats in a drone metal fan\u2019s nirvana: droning riffs, tortured vocals, and breathless patience. Conjuring the Sabbath<\/strong>-worshipping likes more of Earth<\/strong> than Sunn O)))<\/strong> in its slightly orange and hazy tone (perhaps Bongripper<\/strong>), it drawls on while Ajomo\u2019s vocals take the stage in tortured shouts and M\u00e4nnikk\u00f6\u2019s slightly off-kilter rhythms add a dimension of intrigue to the proceeds. Contrary to Dark Buddha Rising<\/strong>\u2019s winning formula of drums carrying the drone, Entheomorphosis<\/strong> finds the drums carrying on a manic ritualistic energy almost despite the droning riffs, reminding me of early Sumac<\/strong>\u2019s work. This clash is a bit jarring but intriguing, as longer passages avoid stagnation thanks to these odd collisions. The moods invoked are vast, settling upon anticipation\u2019s startling brightness (\u201cAlkiema\u201d) and dread\u2019s heavy weight (\u201cI\u00e4t\u00f6n\u201d).<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Getting away from the traditional drone template, the meat of Pyh\u00e4 Kuilu offers respite in unexpected ways for Entheomorphosis<\/strong>. From the minimalist creeping of blackened shrieks atop chaotic drumming, thunderous bass, and synthesizer (\u201cSikin\u00e4\u201d) to a crystalline and pulsing synth foray (\u201cHuntu\u201d), the centerpieces recall a more liturgical and shamanistic Primitive Man<\/strong> in its unforgiving noise and injection of chaos among the more regal movements of straightforward drone. They nonetheless beg the question as to why two comparatively brief respites are tied together as such when they are just different enough to be confusing and just similar enough to sound the same. The vocals are likewise a bit of a conundrum with Entheomorphosis<\/strong>, especially in comparison to its parent project. Dark Buddha Rising<\/strong> benefited from the choir of insanity of its three voices, but Ajomo\u2019s nasally shouts seem to clash with the surrounding bleak obscurity, working most effectively with the blackened shrieks in \u201cSikin\u00e4.\u201d The vocals are not the main focus, but they do distract at best, derail at worst, when they appear.<\/p>\n

Entheomorphosis<\/strong> soars in being a worthy spiritual successor to Dark Buddha Rising<\/strong>, even if its pedigree cannot hold up. It\u2019s a dark drone sound that you\u2019ve come to know and love, but simultaneously more accessible and more experimental. Pyh\u00e4 Kuilu feels more liturgical and less hypnotic, and its chemistry between drums and riff is endlessly intriguing. It may not achieve transcendence of its actors\u2019 other projects, but for fans of drone, Entheomorphosis<\/strong> is a tour de force of holiness and devastation. While a nice bit of escapism, I\u2019m banking on a more complete spiritual awakening next time.<\/p>\n

Rating:<\/strong> 3.0\/5.0
DR:<\/strong> | Format Reviewed:<\/strong> 320 kb\/s mp3
Label:<\/strong> Svart Records<\/a>
Websites:<\/strong> entheomorphosis.bandcamp.com<\/a> | entheomorphosis.com<\/a>
Releases Worldwide:<\/strong> May 23rd, 2025<\/p>\n

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