Dark Buddha Rising – Inversum

Following on from 2013's sprawling Dakhmandal, Finland's Dark Buddha Rising return with a new lineup for fifth LP Inversum. It's an album of two halves; comprised of two distinct 20-plus minute pieces, we start out with E S O, a low, menacing hum which only grows heavier and uglier from there on, with a combination of colossal riffs, vocal chants and pained wails before changing pace in its second and third arcs towards a (relatively) speedy conclusion.

By no means a retread of the record's opener, E X O initially takes influence from latter-day Swans, blissfully repeating the same notes and chords to nauseating effect before suddenly going all Electric Wizard, sucking the listener into a sonic black hole with nastier tones and lengthier riffs. It sounds massive. The black art of doom metal is a tried and true formula, but DBR deserve extra credit for placing emphasis on carefully crafting an atmosphere – much like UK peers Bong – while also pushing the subgenre to crushingly heavy extremes.