Album Review: Year of No Light – Consolamentum (Pelagic Records)

Year of No Light are celebrating their 20th anniversary as a band this year and as well as releasing a brand new album called ‘Consolamentum’, the band will have their entire discography re-released via Pelagic Records. Consisting of 5 studio albums, several split EPs, and the collaboration with Belgian composer Dirk Serries from the ‘Live At Roadburn’ recordings, on 12 vinyl records, all coming in a wooden box.

Consolamentum sees the avant-garde metal band continue to push the boundaries and their obsession with the fall of man and salvation through darkness continues here. The term “consolamentum” describes the sacrament, the initiation ritual of the Catharic Church, which thrived in Southern Europe in the 12th – 14th century – a ritual that brought eternal austereness and immersion in the Holy Spirit.

Consolamentum will be released on July 2nd 2021 via Pelagic Records.

Year of No Light are such a boundary pushing band, they’ve made a hell of career out of it, and to the surprise of literally no-one, Consolamentum continues to see them push and push. Each track here can rightfully be called an epic.

A poignant and haunting start with Objuration descends into something with doom-like depths of heaviness. The methodical and suffocating rhythm beats the mind into submission even if the layered and post-like melodies offer some respite. It’s a gargantuan effort that sounds impossibly grand and can be rightfully called beautiful.

Talking of beauty though, Alétheia might be a shorter effort (at least by this album’s standards) but it still manages to showcase so much detail. Gob-smacking and sublime melody blended to perfection with corroding heavy rhythm and a constant feeling of weight bearing down upon you.

Which then brings us to the echoing doom start of Interdit aux Vivants, aux Morts et aux Chiens. Where the slamming of instruments sounds like the footsteps of giants and they’re coming up behind you. The slow and methodical evolution of this track; kept consistently heavy and leading to a peppier pace at the end, is foreboding but immeasurably exciting.

It’s been such an experience so far but Réalgar stands heads and shoulders above everything else. Easily the most accomplished track on the album, which is really saying something. It is a gorgeous drop into Year of No Light’s dark depths. Their use of subtle effects, the shoegaze melodies and concreate slabs of heaviness just sounds immense.

How do you follow that? By continuing to experiment and elevate expectations to even grander heights. The finale of Came is a lot more focused on cold and evocative melody that lingers, but it still undoubtedly feels part of this album.

Exhausting but so worth it.

Year of No Light – Consolamentum Full Track Listing:

1. Objuration
2. Alétheia
3. Interdit aux Vivants, aux Morts et aux Chiens
4. Réalgar
5. Came

Links

Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter