This is the debut album from Pyrithe, an experimental sludge/post-metal band from the US.
Featuring a member of Noltem, along with guests from Noltem and Pyrrhon, (among others), Monuments to Impermanence is a 48-minute journey into experimental heaviness.
This is an album that contains a plethora of influences and styles. You can loosely categorise this as an experimental sludge/post-metal album, (as I have), but you could realistically tag this as a number of subgenres. Elements of progressive rock, hardcore, doom, noise/art-rock, ambient, and post-rock can all be felt across the album, alongside the nuanced heaviness of the sludge and post-metal ones.
Each track showcases a different facet of Pyrithe’s sound, which includes a range of vocalists and vocal styles too. The overall aim of the band is that of crafting involved soundscapes, with an emphasis on heaviness, but within this remit there is much room for rampant exploration and experimental ideas. Pyrithe have not limited themselves when creating their music. If they want to go glacial and slow, with minimalistic doom expression, they do. If they want to peel off energetic sludge riffs that can knock down walls, they do. A feral blast beat section? Sure. A lo-fi moment of introspection? Go for it. A slow-building atmospheric tapestry? Have at it! All of this and more makes up Monuments to Impermanence.
The album reminds me of a mix of Neurosis, Inter Arma, Keelhaul, Old Man Gloom, Imperial Triumphant, Today Is the Day, Pyrrhon, and a whole host of others. Basically, if you’re a fan of richly multifaceted and textured heaviness, then look no further than Monuments to Impermanence.
Highly recommended.
Wonderbox Metal 