Alukta - Merok

Alukta is a doom/black metal band of international origins from both France and Belgium.  “Merok,” is its full-length debut.   The band is actually a duo, consisting of the ever impressive Déhà on all the instruments and Marie (1927, Brouillard, Sphere, Transcending Rites, Vertige) on vocals.

Blackened doom seems less prevalent in the doom scene than some of the other sub-genres so I’m always hungry to discover more.  Alukta is an interesting project, offering a unique twist through a tribal and ritualistic musical path.   According to the press release, the band was formed out of a mourning period mixed with a need to explore old tribal customs.  It’s also inspired by the Toraja people and their special funeral rites in addition to cults and death in general. 

After (briefly) researching the Toraja and their death rites, I view this album as a sort of soundtrack of the death process.  The Toraja believe the souls of the departed linger as the family prepares for their upcoming funeral.  This concept of death not immediately being the end, of those we love still offering themselves in some way, is interesting to say the least.  In relation to the music, I feel this album conveys a lot of emotions, both sad and respectful, to the process of grieving. 

This isn’t an immediate album and takes some time to fully absorb, which makes sense because the Toraja people can spend months or years building up to the actual funeral of a deceased loved one.  There is a sort of offering here, giving one’s attention to fully absorb the details of the songs.

The opening song, “Matampu’” is basically a long intro but it does a fantastic job in laying down the setting.  This song is heavy but in a way that’s different from most other blackened doom albums.  The vocals/chants and drums are more important than the actual riffs here, a needed approach to set the listener up for the journey.

“Laissez entrer ceux qui pleurent,” is a direct extension of the intro but this time much more balanced in terms of how the blackened elements are incorporated.  A strong riff begins the song with ominous bass dropping deep tones through the massive drums.  Marie’s vocals are fantastic—raw and arcane but they don’t over power the music.  The synergy between her voice and the instruments is pretty damn impressive.  The half point sees the heavier instruments stripped away in favor of a more cultural embrace of vocals.  It’s a masterful build up, especially the huge part the drums play in setting the atmosphere while also preparing for the next passage.

“Des teintes d’éternité,” hits hard with an atmosphere drenched in melancholy.  The simple but effective lead guitar makes all the difference here, playing off the slow moving rhythm. The melding of clean and heavy instrumentation adds a fantastic mood to the song.  Is it sad or hopeful? Respectful?  A lot of emotions come through here and I think any answer would fit depending on the listener's personal interpretation of death and their views on how different cultures face it.   For me, as an American, death just means a two hour funeral where someone talks about Jesus for half the time then we all go eat cold sandwiches in a breakroom.  It’s very impersonal, something I’ve taken issues with as I’ve gotten older and see myself getting closer to death every day.  This song certainly brought back a lot of thoughts for me and how I feel about the approach to sending someone off to the otherside. 

The last couple minutes of this song are among my favorite on the album: pure blackened doom metal that slowly transitions back to some of the more tribal aspects of the song/album.

“Kombengi,” is another highlight for me. Half the track uses mournful tones combined with the urgent build up from the drums. This makes the song harrowing yet infinitely absorbing. The ghostly and ghastly blackened growls fit the mood perfectly.

“Aluk To Dolo,” has a dangerous vibe to it—the inhuman growls and screams push the song to an extremity far beyond the other songs.  The song seems to breathe in and out of finality—honestly, this one is both scary and unnerving. The hypnotic rhythm of the guitars put me in a trance and enveloped me—it's a miracle I lived through this one. 

The final song, “Exuvia,” has interesting vocals, both in how they sound and their arrangements. Musically this one swirls like a low hanging and does a fine job taking in all the elements of the music as a whole. 

Alukta's “Merok,” is one of the more engaging yet different albums I've heard this year. It not only steps outside the box but thrives in the raw environment where experimental dynamics meet purr power. 

Rating:  Excellent