Rahu: The Quest for the Vajra of Shadows

Back in the 1920s and 1930s, a writer named Lord Dunsany wrote several tales that weaved dream-like imagery with a quest into unfamiliar territories. H. P. Lovecraft, a fan of these tales, went on to write his own take on the dream-quest tale. He would later turn away from this style and develop famous monsters like Cthulhu. I don't know whether The Quest for the Vajra of Shadows has anything to do with this style of writing; frankly, I don't feel like I understand the purpose of this quest in the first place. I do like the mystical-sounding promise of the title, particularly if it means discovering something new and unusual. In the end, though, The Quest for the Vajra of Shadows is a quiet affair, too limited in its palette of sounds, too long in its development, to make the journey worthwhile.

The best thing about this album is the occasional melodic passage laid down by the organ. I was disappointed, though, that its sound didn't accomplish much beyond creating a haunting effect. The other parts are all played competently enough, but the overall feel of the album is mostly uninteresting. I don't know much about the recording process, but I noticed that the sound often came off tinny, too high; at other times, the sound was overwhelmed by static, something that could be put to profitable use, but not here.

I suppose that this album is meant to evoke a kind of primitive sound, an attempt to uncover the most authentic version of death metal, the one overwhelmed by today's excesses. I like that idea in principle, but, in this case, the execution doesn't quite measure up.

Track Listing:
1. Ordeal of X
2. Samudra Manthan
3. Kalas Bleed For the Sun-Eater
4. The Serpent King
5. Sceptre of the Auspicious One

Added: March 23rd 2012
Reviewer: Carl Sederholm
Score:
Related Link: Label Website
Hits: 2893
Language: english

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