Swiss avant-garde black metal outfit Schammasch have solidified themselves as one of the genre’s most inventive and dynamic forces. With a catalog that includes landmark releases like Contradiction and Hearts of No Light, their latest offering, The Maldoror Chants: Old Ocean, sees them once again diving into the depths of sonic experimentation. While the album shares its conceptual lineage with 2017’s The Maldoror Chants: Hermaphrodite, it carves its own path, blending the ethereal ambiance of its predecessor with the immersive, expansive qualities of their more recent works.
“Crystal Waves” sets the tone with a hazy, immersive soundscape, slowly building from its soft, ethereal beginnings to a denser and more dramatic crescendo. The spoken-word vocals add a ritualistic aura, while layers of crystalline guitar melodies and cavernous drums create a hypnotic effect. This opener doesn’t burst into a black metal assault but instead remains a meditative, almost cinematic introduction to the album’s broader narrative.
“A Somber Mystery”, though brief, is a powerful interlude. Its minimalist guitar work and haunting ambient backdrop hint at darker undercurrents, serving as an atmospheric bridge into the more abrasive “Your Waters Are Bitter”. This track is where the album fully embraces its darker side, with sharp hooks, biting rhythms, and domineering vocals that highlight Schammasch’s ability to craft both aggression and grandeur.
Tracks like “They Have Found Their Master” showcase the band’s seamless ability to balance light and dark. Clean, melodic passages intertwine with discordant, monolithic riffs, creating a slow-burning intensity. Similarly, “Image of the Infinite” condenses the album’s sound into a focused and progressive iteration, amplifying its angelic qualities with a streamlined yet grandiose approach.
The closing track, “I Hail You, Old Ocean”, is a fitting finale, offering perhaps the closest connection to traditional black metal on the album. Even within its rawer and more chaotic bursts, Schammasch temper the aggression with sprawling melodic passages, clean vocals, and an epic sense of scale. It’s a mesmerizing conclusion that leaves a lasting impression.
Conceptually, Old Ocean mirrors its title, exploring themes of vastness, depth, and the sublime. While Hermaphrodite leaned heavily on minimalist compositions and atmosphere, Old Ocean finds Schammasch charting new territory, embracing avant-garde flourishes and a more expansive, dynamic sound. The album sits comfortably between the ambient textures of Hermaphrodite and the lighter, immersive black metal of Hearts of No Light.
In many ways, The Maldoror Chants: Old Ocean is a summation of Schammasch’s evolution over the past decade. It retains the band’s signature avant-garde edge while hinting at a lighter, more progressive future. For fans and newcomers alike, this album is a testament to the band’s unwavering commitment to pushing the boundaries of black metal.
