How truly remarkable it is that we, as mortals, though we must undergo the cycle of life from birth to death, need not write our chapters in a linear fashion. For the soul that lives one life can also experience many within one and, through this abundance, be transported to realms not of our own. For the pen in one hand can craft a world upon parchment, and the mind becomes the bridge upon which the soul slips into the words etched in ink. Architects we become, Gods within our own writings, for we create through thought, and through thought, we bring unto this realm our own image, which we fashion from our soul and senses. But the true crux reveals itself through the experiences we glean when our minds traverse the pages that we write and those that we read; and in that brief moment, time stands still, and all that remains is the voyage through art.
‘Wyrm Chasm’ by Wyrm Chasm draws upon the melodic side of Black Metal, where sound is created to entrance the mind, carrying it towards new horizons as it journeys beyond the invisible. While its sound carries traits of USBM bands that came before, such as Wolves in the Throne Room and, in some aspects, Black Anvil, there are also traces of Swedish Black Metal uncovered through its melodies, reminiscent of Dark Funeral’s ‘The Secrets of the Black Arts’. Instead of appearing as merely an homage, Wyrm Chasm infuses its own essence into these influences to create a sound that feels animate yet cavernous in its depth, allowing the soul to wander and explore.
We often craft our own world within our minds, where happiness that is bountiful translates into each blade of grass caressed by the wind in a serene manner; sadness becomes the sky, impregnated with rain and grey in color; and anger and vehemence… when harnessed, become the ink that wets the quill and never runs dry. For through emotions unhindered, one can set the skies ablaze and, in the same breath, tear heaven asunder.
The strings become this manifestation of emotion that raises the surroundings, giving life to that which closes in on the mind, where every melody, every note, becomes the seed that sprouts. Everything that twists, that crawls upon its knees, and the wind that is bitter upon the skin… all of this is depicted through the manifestation of the strings.
Atmospherically, the guitars possess an essence that shrouds the senses in an intimate manner, as though their presence permeates in close proximity, where every facet is felt and heard. The production drapes the sound in a way that appears abrasive and loud, almost overpowering to some extent. But this does not detract from the aura of the atmosphere; rather, the album uses it as a facet to play upon the raw structures, where the tonal resonance of the guitars emits a scabrous timbre, jagged and metallic. The production helps elevate the sound, wherein the overall experience feels as though it were unfolding in a live setting, as exhibited on the tracks ‘Netjer’ and ‘Throned Entropy.’
However, the guitars’ captivating traits come forth in their ability to create riveting melodies in a minimalist manner. Throughout the album, their melodic nature arises not from frivolous intricacies and complex patterns; rather, it takes form through simple structures that unfurl themselves, building tension until the crescendo is earned, as demonstrated on ‘Majestas.’
It is one thing to render unto a world its color, its design, to flesh it out so vividly that the mind develops a yearning to dwell amongst its shapes. However, when the same mind that creates imbues the colors with rhythm, with a voice, this is where art becomes immersive. For should not the soul feel the resonance of a shimmering glow where joy dwells, and should it not feel the tears of sadness that fill the lacrimatory? What about malice, scorn—the very energy so virulent in strength that it becomes the winds beneath the wingbeat of a dragon?
This, in turn, transforms into the percussion, where the essence that is emitted transmutes the temperament of the atmosphere into physical reverberation. Following in the same vein as the guitars, the drumming also takes a rather stripped-down approach, where each beat and cymbal crash feels more like a repetitive pounding; however, this acts as a merit to the album. In the same manner as the guitars, the production also translates the drumming into a more rudimentary tone, where the sound is blunt and abrasive.
Take, for instance, the track ‘Eyes of The Eternal,’ where the double kicks add a layer that undulates and supports the foundation of the guitars’ melodies, forming a contrast wherein the slick, metallic tones of the strings ride in rhythmic movement above the percussion. This creates a cohesive structure in both sound and tangibility, as both aspects render texture to the album, as though you can trace your fingers along its jagged edge while feeling the sweltering heat that radiates beneath its earthen floor.
For everything created under the sun of one’s soul, therein lies a mind that crafted it; for before the words were inked and the clay shaped, it was the mind that conceived its form and the soul that imparted life unto it. For what is the penmanship of one’s writing, where the words strung together are adorned in ornate cursive, if a spirit is not present beneath the letters? If no spirit dwells amongst that which is written, then the art is rendered mute.
The vocals of Wyrm Chasm become the very magick that flows beneath the surface, from every note scraped from the guitars to the permeation of the percussion’s reverberations, filling the structure and adding both density and a sense of harrowing dread to its delivery. Expelling a dry and acerbic motion through their language, the vocals become the dominant force upon the album, further boosted by the production, which grants them a more confrontational edge, where every enunciation feels twisted and jagged.
‘Light at the End’ showcases these traits, along with the motion that the vocals undergo, creeping and sauntering, as though, with every inflection of the voice, every word curled from the lips creates something foul in this world. Another feature possessed by the voice is its integration with the other musical facets. As singular elements, each possesses a trait that adds its own distinct aura to the sound’s topography; however, their cohesion, as well as their contrasting qualities, allows them to blend together and forge an experience that feels fluid to the senses.
Wyrm Chasm shows that the mind needn’t rely upon excess to create something within which a soul resides—no conflagration of colors, naught the ornate contours that decorate a sculpture, nor even the scent of flowery words. For even pen and paper may give form to something profound; when the hand moves in tandem with thought and consciousness is imparted unto what it creates, art assumes its most elemental form, and therein beauty thrives.
