SI MONUMENTUM REQUIRES, CIRCUMSPICE

Up to this point, Deathspell Omega's approach to black metal had seen them adopt a no-nonsense back-to-basics approach reminiscent of innumerable other Darkthrone imitators. Here, though, some dark inspiration seems to have got into them, and their experiments with incorporating more unconventional elements into their music commence. Si Momentum Requires, Circumspice fuses the avant-black metal of subsequent Deathspell Omega releases with more direct and overt black metal eruptions, reminiscent of Marduk or Satyricon, so those who are only interested in the progressive side of their music may be better catered to by their later albums. For my part, their sound here is interesting but somewhat overbearing, and in a "this is grinding on a little tediously" sort of way and not a "this is amazingly over the top" way.