Otolith, The: Folium Limina

Doom metal band SubRosa played from 2005 to 2019 and released around five albums, none of which I am familiar with. One band’s demise is another band’s birth, as four members picked up the pieces and almost immediately formed The Otolith. The band contributed to Dirt (Redux), an Alice in Chains tribute album and in 2022 released their debut titled Folium Limina.

The band members are:
Kim Cordray (violin, synth, vocals)
Levi Hanna (guitar, bass guitar, synth, piano, vocals)
Andy Patterson (drums, percussion, samples)
Sarah Pendleton (violin, vocals)

The album’s first track is the absolutely massive “Sing No Coda�, an over thirteen-minute juggernaut that reveals just how good this band is at laying down heavy atmospheres and slow builds. The tolling of a bell and low end keyboards offer a dark and chilling soundscape, the band’s use of samples and effects is superb in creating different atmospheres. Violin adds a mournful bent, and soon the vocals start, somewhat distant and very effective. Thick doomy riffs, all distorted and fuzzy, add another element. Eventually the music stops allowing for a disparate guitar and bass, before distorted violin enters and those awesome vocals begin again. A spellbinding start to the album. “Andromeda’s Wing� will blast your senses immediately with heavy set riffs and wonderful violin textures. The band can change directions with what seems like ease, into mellower and cleaner guitar soundscapes, with the violin adding an exotic feel. The doomy riffs pummel you once again accentuated with near buried growling vocals. Just a great sound. Middle Eastern accents are prevalent in the mysterious “Ekpyrotic� beginning with a clean repeating guitar, the sound immersed in a tremolo effect that has psychedelic written all over it. Then the fuzz soaked riffs burst forth, all doomy and dramatic. The band switches from mellow to heavy, all the while maintaining those exotic accents. Simply outstanding.

That’s the first three tracks, there are still three to go. This band has no weak links as Folium Limina is sixty-three minutes of awesomeness. Easily recommended!

A Blues Funeral Recordings’ release.

Track Listing:
1. Sing No Coda (13:28)
2. Andromeda’s Wing (9:38)
3. Ekpyrotic (9:27)
4. Hubris (9:50)
5. Bone Dust (9:34)
6. Dispirit (11:08)

Added: August 19th 2024
Reviewer: Jon Neudorf
Score:
Related Link: Band @ Bandcamp
Hits: 233
Language: english

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