Decompression – Love Is the Beauty of the Soul (Review)

This is the debut album from one-woman black/doom band Decompression from the US.

Decompression is a 53-minute collection of original compositions, (five), and cover songs, (three, including one from Forgotten Tomb). Stylistically, black/doom doesn’t really do it full justice, but it’s a loose descriptor that’s suitable enough.

Love Is the Beauty of the Soul is a luscious, richly textured album of atmospheric doom that’s combined with atmospheric/depressive black metal. It’s a highly emotive affair, with strong songwriting and musical performances. The album is well-produced and performed, and the songwriting is top tier. The album is a melancholic journey into darkness, yet one that carries with it just enough light and hope to captivate.

It’s also a shockingly catchy and absorbing affair. Even halfway through the opening cut Empty for the very first time, I knew it would be a strong contender for the song of the year. Honestly, it’s that good. Taken in its entirety, this album offers a wealth of depth and substance that you’ll want to keep returning to again and again and again, (and again).

The main vocals are provided by Solaria, and are expertly rendered and delivered. They fit perfectly into the expressive music, providing a focal point when they appear that’s transportive. Harsh blackened screams are also used as the album progresses, adding another facet to Decompression’s music.

As the album progresses more and more black metal influences appear, revealing the depressive and atmospheric black metal influences that complement the rich doom tapestry at the heart of the music well. These present as a mix of Ghost Bath, Forgotten Tomb, and Xasthur, only with an atmospheric symphonic doom aspect that’s retained from the earlier material.

This is a gorgeous album of heartfelt layers and deep, expressive depths. The artist behind Decompression has immense talent, and it’s clear that the creation of Love Is the Real Beauty of the Soul has been a real labour of love. Well, it’s paid off handsomely, as the results are stunning.

If I had to state them, my only complaints would be the inclusion of spoken word here and there, (which I almost always dislike in any context; Roaring Tides would be better without it, for example), and, unexpectedly, the Forgotten Tomb cover; it’s a good cover and I like it, but I can’t help feel that it’s out of place amidst the sheer dark beauty of the rest of the music. If it was included as, say, a bonus track, that would then also have the effect of lowering the main album’s running time to a lean 39 minutes, a near-perfect length for many records to my mind. However, despite stating them here, these aren’t big issues, and I only mention them simply because of how absolutely stunning this record is at its core.

Love Is the Beauty of the Soul is the very definition of an underground gem. I fear that this exceptional release won’t get anywhere near the amount of attention and approbation it deserves, so if you’re reading this, don’t rob yourself of the experience that this superlative release provides.

Essential listening.