Let’s begin this review by discussing the title, The Synarchy of Molten Bones. It almost certainly means nothing. Avant-garde bands choose surrealist titles all the time. It was probably chosen because it sounded cool.

Moving on, the album is Deathspell Omega’s first since completing their ‘metaphysical trilogy’, which ended with 2010’s Paracletus, though it’s worth noting the musical style of those albums has more or less been continued on this new effort. That’s not to say the album is not as experimental as past efforts, but it might be said that it is clearly less innovative.

Synarchy is a little over half an hour of content, most of which consists of a mix of Technical Black Metal and a positively insane drummer. Indeed, the drums are easily the highlight of the performance; the fact they take the spotlight over traditional lead instruments on might actually be the only fresh idea on this record. The rest of the instruments play a style not dissimilar to what we heard on Paracletus, but it can’t be denied the performance here is sharp as ever, if not sharper.

It is by no means, however, a masterpiece. It’s good – great, even; but simply doesn’t change the style up enough to justify its six-year making, especially for the purported poster-children of experimental black metal. On top of that, it’s half an hour long, has four songs, and still manages to offer a good deal of filler material, which is actually a first for the band.

The album had great potential, but one can’t help but think that it’s simply Paracletus: The B-Sides.

Zack Moore