Amarok is an extreme doom metal band from California, who formed in 2010. “Resilience,” is their second full-length album; they have also released three splits and an EP. The band’s sound leans towards death doom but I also hear Gothic, black metal, and funeral doom elements.
“Resilience,” is exactly the kind of doom metal I like. Long songs, slow tempo (for the most part), abrasive vocals, murky atmosphere and a hefty rhythm section to hold all those intimidating elements up. At a run time of over an hour with just five tracks, this is a meaty release that requires patience. Give yourself some time to let this album wash (well, CRUSH) over you and a rewarded experience will be found.
Despite their oppressive sound, the opening song, “Charred (X),” reveals the album doesn't shy away from melody. It’s a natural, organic process that isn’t thrown in for the sake of fluffing up the runtime or to fill in gaps for the sole purpose of getting to the next drop of suffocating riffs. Colby (drums) and Brandon (Bass, vocals) deftly change their approach from the bruising open to the melodic bridge around the 2:55 mark, which goes a long way in keeping this nearly 18 minute long song flowing smoothly.
Brandon and Kenny’s vocals are fantastic–low, mordant death growls, sludge shouts, and gripping higher screams are all extreme and define the album perfectly. Kenny, alongside Nathan, also provides the album with gargantuan, demoniacal riffs. Their tone is sharp enough to bite but still obtuse enough for even the most cynical of doom fans (like me). However, they aren’t comfortable only playing riffs or melodic passages…there are many clean moments peppered throughout, filling up the liminal spaces with the same gripping style they bring to the more intense moments.
Case in point is the movement at 6:58 through 10:04; its clean but not gentle, capturing the song’s sordid atmosphere. But it’s also strangely moving and beautiful in its own way, something that only a doom fan will grasp. Near the end the tempo speeds up a bit, the vocals ripping through the air while riding the riffs to reach a speedy that finishes the song in a wild way.
“Ascension (XI)” takes a nearly opposite approach, using ambient/clean textures to build the song up until about the minute and a half mark, where it dives fully into Gothic textures. The somber touch upon their deathly side is appreciated and lends the song a distant, cold feel…very funereal. The halfway point is melodic but retains much of their oppressive heaviness due to the drums. Near the end a small, clean passage changes up the scenario before the song ends in a slow dirge. There is a lot going on here, dredged out in just the right manner to keep it cohesive.
The aptly named “Interlude,” is, well, just that. I don’t have any major opinion on it. It’s good for what it is but it’s being there doesn’t really affect the album one way or another. For those not used to longform songwriting, I can see it being welcomed in providing a respite.
“Penance (XII)” features one of the best vocal performances on the album, the inhuman growls and screams seemingly reaching beyond the veil from some mysterious dimension of somber, regretful pain. The performance is particularly gripping around the 5:15 mark—those screams sent chills down my spine. The melodic riffs that couple them enhance their effect very well, absolutely enthralling. Around the 9:30 mark, the band once again shows that just because they are doom doesn’t mean they can’t grind it out. The tempo pushes the instruments into blackened territory, a fitting companion sound to the death/doom that surrounds it.
The final song, “Legacy (XIII)” opens with a deep, rich clean section that sounds wonderful with a decent pair of headphones. I found this to be the most melancholic song on the album; the band ignores any desire to introduce faster tempos or ultra heavy moments…this is straight up epic, extreme doom metal that ends the album on a high note.
Amarok’s “Resilience,” is a fantastic journey that combines disconsolate passages with stark, hulking instrumentation all wrapped up in a burdensome atmosphere. However, underneath all the grim and despair, there is also hope to be found. This album is dedicated to the deadly fires near their home and the realization that nature, as well as humans, can overcome anything. Highly recommended.
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