Written By: Nameless_N00b_89
The band In Dakhma, formed in 2022, hails from Croatia and comprises two “seasoned metal fans” who purportedly play death metal. What a dakhma is, on the other hand, is slightly more interesting. Known in Persian as a tower of silence, the dakhma is a circular Zoroastrian structure used for excarnation, which is accomplished by exposing dead bodies to the elements and various carrion critters, primarily vultures. This small fact adds gravity to the album’s cover, which intrigues me. And so these were the answers to my questions after Steel shoved this fifth, and possibly last, promo through the slop slot of my skull pit cell. The first was who is In Dakhma? The second was, what the hell is a dakhma? With my curiosity sated then, I settled in to see what kind of death metal In Dakhma had to offer on its debut album, He Who Sows the Ground.
In Dakhma moves in so many different musical directions that it makes nailing down the sound of He Who Sows the Ground difficult. From death, black and doom to sludge, hardcore and grind, a lot is happening here. Yet, despite having no resume beyond that of seasoned fandom, guitarist, bassist, and vocalist Vedran Nor has an unexpectedly firm grasp on instrumentation. He capably grinds, chugs, sludges and shreds through the songs, his low-tuned guitar imbuing the album with an almost Roots-like quality.1 His bass work shines brightly, whether slapping, rumbling, leading, or snaking through mid-song interludes. Nor’s vocals, primarily a discernible mix of Tom Warrior and Max Cavelera, possess an impressive black metal scream, while his deathliest growls have a Deicidedly Glen Benton-ish timbre. Drummer and lyricist Matko Podobnik has more than a passing mastery of the kit and provides a substantial foundation for Nor’s work to build on. Dispelling lack of talent as an issue, and with influences ranging from Entombed and Cannibal Corpse to Gojira and Opeth, He Who Sows the Ground presents a young band battling identity versus diversity.
When In Dakhma decides who they are, a more focused approach should yield positive results, for seeds of a successful harvest are planted throughout He Who Sows’ eleven tracks. Opener “Ona kraljuje sama,” minus its irrelevant sixty-second intro, gives off Cavalera Conspiracy energy, featuring punchy, punk-fueled guitar riffs and some of Nor’s better lead work. The chunky, juicily moist riffs of “Nothing but Filth” satisfy like a hot sludge sundae, while the chug-a-lug hooks and galloping pace of “Aeshma” lash out like a truncheon to the temple. Further success is found when In Dakhma bask in deathlier climes. The tremolodically picked riffing, ploddingly pummeling chugs and Bentonistic vocals of “Sacrum” wrap deathly tendencies in a cozy black metal blanket. Meanwhile, the Morbidly Angelic “Siblicide” scratches the death itch nicely, with a near Alkaloidal bass interlude thrown in for good measure.
In Dakhma’s diversity on He Who Sows the Ground spells the death of their identity. Be it the erroneously ominous grind of “Black Mat” or the mandolin-plucked, unoriginally titled instrumental “…,”2 these tracks drag the album back more than propel it forward. Even the doomy goodness of “Sentinel Hill,” reliant on guest vocals and lead guitars for intrigue, belies In Dakhma’s true strengths. This leaves tracks “In Dogma” and “Tower of Silence” to try and clean up the album’s identity crisis. The former’s hardcore-tinged riffs, gang-chanted chorus’, sludge-ridden midpoints and slam-inspired bass drops fall flat, while the latter’s Monotheistic sludge and bongo-infused Celtic Frostian-weirdness offer nothing redemptive.
He Who Sows the Ground is In Dakhma’s love letter to death metal. Nor and Podobnik were so committed to this ode that they started Tower of Silence Records to release this debut effort. With a modicum of focus, this duo has the chops to release a decent slab of metal. Here, they let their fandom get the best of them, sowing the seeds of an overly diverse album that reaps mixed rewards. While I can’t recommend He Who Sows the Ground wholly, there’s playlist-worthy music here. Hopefully, with a more focused approach, In Dakhma will return to laugh over my vulture-picked bones.
Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 6 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Tower of Silence Records
Websites: indakhma.com | facebook.com/in.dakhma
Releases Worldwide: November 8th, 2024
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