Dhishti - Life Is Suffering

Dhishti is a black metal band from Sri Lanka who formed in 2019; 'Life Is Suffering' is their third full length album.  I am actually surprised about how dynamic this album is.  The band's sound is certainly rooted in DSBM and it is, overall, quite tragic and sullen.   However, the band does add a lot of variety to their sound and it makes for a very engaging listen.

The ethnic sounds of 'Kannalaua' open the album, setting the stage for the listener to experience the full depressive fallout of the first full length song, 'Marnashruti.'  I really enjoy the melodic riffs that open the song; throughout the rest of the album, the band certainly displays a knack for weaving their depressive style with delicious melodies and slower tempos that remain catchy.

The vocals alternate between insane shrieks and desperate shouts, a perfect vehicle to deliver the band's brand of blackened sorrow.  The lead guitar on this song is quite vibrant; never taking center stage but definitely steering the song in its needed direction. 

The next song, 'Sooryawansha Kala Sajhayana' is a bit more aggressive, with the riffs being deep and wide to cover a wide area of destruction. A more classic black metal tone is permeated throughout the song and it gives the music a classic extreme vibe while still allowing the band to inject its own brand.  The middle segment of the song is tribal drums and wonderful harmonies that add in an unexpected but appreciated moment in the song. 

'Neecha Paapa' is a surprising track, with its very emotional guitar solo and clean tones opening the song.  This definitely provides a different type of atmosphere fear that isn't always presented in this genre. But the black metal soon finds its way in---this song ends up being one of the more intense for me.  It is just an expertly composed and layered track that builds upon itself well and provides a lot of different paths. 

The final song is 'Marudepawilla' and it is a banger.  The riffs in the beginning are slow, low and sweltering.  The the double bass runs underneath is like an undersea volcano.  The music and vocals really work together here to present a song that is constantly on edge, an entire musical journey of trepidation and unforgiveness. 

All in all, this is a pretty unique take on DSBM and offers a lot of little nook and crannies that will make this appeal to people who aren't even fans of the style.

8/10