From Bandcamp, “With “Old Ocean”, SCHAMMASCH continue their 2017 journey into the bizarre and mystical spheres of “Les chants de Maldoror,” a dark 19th century literary classic that later ignited the spark responsible for the surrealist movement.” The album has six songs and “Crystal Waves” is first. There is a long build up of clean guitars, somber tones, and tension, and you can hear the waves rising. It steadies, and the spoken words further the mournful tones. From there, the gentle rising and fading of the sound is perhaps the best feature of the music, because you don’t know what might be next. Towards the end, the power comes in with a tidal wave of emotion.  “A Somber Mystery” is a very short segue song, with heavy, weighted tones.

“Your Waters Are Bitter” begins with more clean guitar tones followed by aggressive harsh vocals, thick bass notes, and punishing riffs. The sound seems to exist on the very fringes of your consciousness, just slightly out of reach. The band is very good at backing atmospheric elements on the album that augment the sound. After the half-way mark, it begins an exploration down a dark, unlit path into the woods, and your figure begins to fade away. “They Have Found Their Master” begins with the pulse of a steady beat, almost like marching, segueing into contentious tones. The sounds bubbles from there, nearing a soft boil, and ready to explode. “You cannot enter here” he quips, with a firm tone of warning.  “Image of the Infinite” moves forward with a steady sound that has some somber melodies, and the tension is held right at the border. Female cleans add more layers to the rich atmosphere on the album, and I feel I am on a precipice, unsure of my next move.

“I Hail You, Old Ocean” closes the album, and much of the tension is gone. What is left are sad tones that sing in your ears. Suddenly, anger rising up like a beast from the underworld, and the beast is bent on destruction. This is an album that thrives on tension, playing with the spaces between light and shadow, and daring the listener to linger in those hauntingly bleak moments. The instrumentation is brooding and deliberate, with guitars that churn and swell like distant thunder, and drums that pulse with an ominous, almost ritualistic cadence. The melodies, though sometimes subtle, are laced with a melancholic beauty, creating a chilling contrast to the heaviness that dominates the album. What sets this album apart is its commitment to atmosphere. It’s as if the album itself is a living entity, drawing you further into its haunting world with each passing minute.