Doubtsower - The Past Melts Away With A Sneer

Doubtsower is a one-man-band from Cardiff (Wales, UK) that plays experimental doom. The latest release is “The Past Melts Away With A Snear,” and it is the fourth full-length album. The musician behind all this is Matt Strangis, who also happens to play bass for the legendary Pantheist. Additionally, he produces experimental electronic music under the alias Kyam.

I reviewed the previous full-length album “Nothing Reduced To Everything” a couple years ago and praised it for its unquestionably unique vision.

“The Past Melts Away With A Snear,” is just as far reaching. Its tendrils spiral out from a doom foundation and grasp hold of unique sounds across an unconventional structure. The phrase “There is nothing new under the sun,” isn't something Doubtsower knows anything about. 

This time it comes in the form of one long song, just under 49 minutes in length. Some may balk at that but if you're a true fan of doom or prog, the length won't bother you. Besides, this song has as much depth, dynamics and wow moments as any album with individual songs.

As the song progresses, it both feels like world building and world falling. It is very clear to me that each changing moment of the song was meticulously crafted to bring about new avenues yet remain connected to the greater whole. The album is weird and strange in the best ways possible but it always makes sense.

Yet those senses are disoriented, disjointed, and flat out insane. Even as the song comes together, it makes you feel like reality itself is coming apart. 

The beginning is unnerving…a sort of buzzing sound, a little pervasive noise builds up as a quiet but persistent roar. This cacophony of noises grows as it picks up more alien pieces across this unconventional landscape. It's abstract for sure but there is a feeling of purpose to it—it is building up to something monolithic and strange….it can be felt in your bones.

Death growls are added pretty early but aren't in the background nor up front….they bleed out from the static itself. It is hard to explain but it sounds really great and lends solid footing to the fluid music. I like how the drums build up much of the energy, both urgent and pure trepidation. 

Once the distortion kicks in, the song becomes really surreal…it's violent and horrific but not in an aggressive way…but one that is unseemly and grossly subtle.

I have to compliment the drumming again. I'm not sure if they are live or programmed drums but, regardless, they help shape the song extremely well. 

It's actually balanced well for such a long song. The beginning and end are abstract with the middle passages having many of the guitar oriented moments. 

But the whole song is heavy even when it really isn't because the overall style of this wicked tapestry is about bringing together a myriad of sounds for one large one.

The themes build from one another—the transitions aren't jarring but instead purposely. The song always flows in the same direction, it just uses many different paths to arrive. 

At times, the song can have a sense of warmth to it, a both surprising and welcomed elements. Around the 26 minute mark, the song focuses on clean instrumentation. It's crisp and smooth like the sun warming your body as it rises high on what was a chilly day. The bass and drums dance around the clean melodies….quite the tapestry. Echoes of vocals work their way through from back to front before the song transitions back into distorted extremity at 29:29.

The next few minutes is pretty damn intense—massive riffs and even melody emit waves of trance like motions. It's towering, stalking and grabbed me tight. 

Afterwards, a deep pulse, as if the song itself is alive and is displaying its raw beating emotions to the elements, signifies the coming of more extreme vocals but this time they bring with them the pulse and tribal qualities. The result is a highly atmospheric passage that is gripping while feeling bottomless.

The last 10 minutes or so are chaotic as hell! Ambiance, doom, growls and a techno/electronic influence throw the song into a blender but when the blades stop turning, it isn't random mush but a concoction of many different levels and layers. 

Doubtsower has once again managed to combine the mundane and the magic (bonus points if you get that reference), the unknown with the accepted, and imaginative songwriting that backs up its unique vision with a metric ton of confidence. “The Past Melts Away With A Snear,” is an album that demands your attention but earns every second of it. A must listen in these final weeks of the year.

Rating: Excellent