Here is an
album that is epic, atmospheric and hints at the undertaking of one journey. In
fact I sometimes think of this genre as ‘Homeric Metal’ (after Homer’s odyssey
as depicted in the “Illiad”). True to the genre, “The Dyson Swarm” is mostly
instrumental and features the musical efforts of a single person - a Russian
dude who goes by the name of Vaarwel.
I felt that
this new creation of Frozen Ocean/Vaarwel tends to drag around aimlessly without
actually getting anywhere, much like a journey aboard a driverless vessel. Mind
you, the album does have its moments. It often conjures feelings that are
genuinely cold, dark and eerie. But in my opinion the strongest characteristic
of “The Dyson Swarm” is Frozen Ocean’s talent in merging electronic music with
the more abrasive and Metal-sounding elements, such as some Black Metal style
vocals. ‘Sloan Great Wall’ and ‘Exoplanet (HD 85512 b)’ are 2 tracks which
illustrate this quite effectively. Moreover, the album really has a great sound.
The song
titles are enigmatic gobbledgook to me but as a result of some quick research it
transpired that a Dyson Swarm is a complex theory concerning the supply of
energy by directly tapping into a star’s inherent energy. Or something to that
effect.....
I do like
atmospheric music but if you’re tempted to explore this genre for the first
time, you’d be better off checking out Benighted Leams, Chaostar, Hawkwind or
Ulver.
“The Dyson
Swarm” album teaser:
