Doomsquad
Kalaboogie
Reviewed by: Sebastian Mackay
First and foremost, Doomsquad get extra points for having inventive song titles (“Born From the Marriage of the Moon and a Crocodile”, “Kalaboogie”, “Ovoo”).
More importantly, however, is the music itself. “When the Dead Become Infants” is a haunting, eerie, emotive and well constructed opening track that uses pure instrumentation and industrial sounds to create an immersive atmosphere. This track is made of the type of songwriting that’ll prickle your spine and catch your breath before becoming “Head Spirit (for our Mechanical Time)”.
The former acts as an intro for the latter and there’s a split second before the tracks connect making a moment of beautiful tension. It carries some of the elements of the opener across with it and introduces a few more. Noticeably the way the dreary low vocals take second place to the music and are a touch quieter.
But, there are other tracks. “Born from the Marriage of the Moon and a Crocodile” is epic. Fuzzy, screechy guitar over doomsday style drums and then chanting vocals. It’s not a song, it’s a movement. The lyrics are the song’s title, again and again driving towards a point of climax that is entirely unexpected wholly intriguing.
“Ovoo” is the album’s final track and follows what we’ve come to see in the others leading up to it. A healthy amount of industrial sounds but this time paired with a synth and the most beautiful vocal line to come out of the album. The vocals are soft, delicate, melodic and purely enchanting. It works to elevate the track and it’s a brilliant ending to a strange but enthralling album.
Rating: Bad-Ass
