93696

Liturgys previous two albums were certainly provocative. 2019s unyieldingly spiritual H.A.Q.Q. took their "transcendental black metal" to new avenues of experimentation in production and songwriting. 2020s contemplative Origin of the Alimonies balanced chamber music and free-form rock buoyed by Haela Ravenna Hunt-Hendrixs far-reaching, esoteric philosophical and musical thought. 93696 references every place Liturgy have traveled since the release of 2011s Aesthethica. Over 82 minutes, this quartet -- vocalist/guitarist/keyboardist Hunt-Hendrix, bassist Tia Vincent-Clark, drummer Leo Didkovsky, and guitarist Mario Miron -- offer an exhilarating, sometimes overwhelming journey across extreme musics terrain. The album contains several instrumentals and three referents to earlier recordings, signified by the Roman numeral II in their song titles. The scorching rock on 2022s As the Blood of God Bursts the Veins of Time EP foreshadowed some of what transpires here. Intro/opener "Daily Bread" is offered in a wordless, incantatory vocal by Hunt-Hendrix, altered by a sonic drone, vocal layering, and digital delay, all beautifully rendered by producer Steve Albini. "Djennaration" showcases Didkovskys physically demanding blastbeats atop brittle, roaring tremolo guitars, industrial electronics, and Hunt-Hendrixs screaming, appended by dramatic orchestral strings and multi-tracked woodwinds (which are somehow clearly heard in the dense, assaultive mix). "Caela" has a dual modal guitar intro, high-register bass lines, and thunderous kick drums and tom-toms; the latter two balance brutal stop-and-start cadences with anthemic riffing. There are also four themed tracks sequenced across the album that represent Hunt-Hendrixs core "four laws" philosophy. "Angel of Sovereignty" is an ethereal, riveting choral work sung by London youth choir the Hi Lo Singers. "Angel of Hierarchy," for toy piano and vibraphone, offers spatially specific overtones as the instruments interact. "Angel of Emancipation," for overdubbed Rhodes pianos, is almost minimalist in execution. "Angel of Individuation" is breathtakingly performed by the Prague Strings, church organ, droning brass, and reeds. "Haelegen II" is a driving, unhinged metal jam, complete with machine gun guitars and screamed vocals. Its Celtic overtones are eventually overshadowed by interlocking pianos, drums, voices, and bass. The songs reprise in the albums third quarter presents a mirror image with acoustic instrumentation in staggered cadences. The sets title track is a nearly 15-minute suite. Rumbling tom-toms, glockenspiel, and twin buzzing guitars introduce a detuned bassline in proggish riff before the band joins in and cuts loose. Hunt-Hendrixs howled lyrics underscore dissonant guitar vamps before a piano enters, pulsing with expansive chords. During the final third, an army of strings, brass, and reeds join the quartet for an apocalyptic conclusion. While it will take several listens to entirely comprehend the wealth of ideas and techniques on offer in 93696, its more than worth the effort and time. When absorbed, it results in an all-encompassing, immersive, aesthetically and musically sensorial experience, and it is Liturgys crowning achievement to date. ~ Thom Jurek