Published: July 29, 2016

For a couple minutes, “Embittered,” the highlight from Subterranean Disposition’s Contagiuum And The Landscapes Of Failure, sounds like it’s going to be another, albeit more texturally intriguing, death/doom song. Then, it drops into a spiky section reminiscent of Starkweather or Today Is The Day before introducing a wonderful, and wonderfully contrasting, guest spot by Gelareh Pour. Hello, left field! Masterminded by Australian Terry Vainoras, Subterranean Disposition’s second album contains many moments that showcase not only Vainoras’s unique vision, but his skills at managing a project. Of course, that latter distinction isn’t the sexiest thing to read. But, whatever, tapping Dan Nahum to handle drums definitely paid dividends thanks to Nahum’s feel for both his instrument and Vainoras’s compositions. Rarely does a session gig sound so synergistic with what the composer is trying to accomplish. And then there is Pour, whose kemanchech, qeychak alto, and vocal contributions take “Embittered” over the top and into the realm of the avant-garde. That Vainoras is so willing to cede the spotlight to other musicians is rare for someone helming a solo project. However, though his awareness is career-lengthening, ultimately his creativity is what keeps you listening for the full 10 minutes. Upon leaving Pour’s sort of spectral section, “Embittered”‘s return to metal sounds so much richer because you now have markers measuring the distance between apocalyptic extremes. Anything could happen inside these poles, making the callbacks and surprises that much more powerful. That’s not an everyday death/doom thing. We missed “Embittered” last month, so we had to get it in this month.