Finland’s Unholy gained a reputation in underground metal for their unique take on the funeral doom genre, itself a very specific niche that might come off as inherently limited but is often taken by particularly capable bands as an exercise in creativity.
We could reasonably situate Unholy within the mode of expression established by their countrymen Thergothon and Skepticism, with the important note that they craft their own highly idiosyncratic vision of the Abyss. Like the aforementioned bands, Unholy base their language on often excruciatingly slow atonal riffs, albeit through a thicker guitar tone that, unlike in Skepticism, takes a powerful and imposing presence, frequently taking the lead in the display of musical nihilism; in this respect, a better comparison would be Germany’s Worship, who likewise rely on the blunt power of down-tuned guitars for the music’s oppressive force and hostile environment. The riffs find their natural complement in expressive, agonized vocals slightly reminiscent of Obituary’s John Tardy in a doom context and sometimes assuming the form of seemingly deranged clean singing. Although faithful to the pace that characterizes the genre, the band is confident enough to occasionally speed up or engage in a brief, faster passage of power chord-tailed downpicking, always guaranteeing that such forays have their place in the architecture of each song and do not disrupt the carefully constructed (and almost palpable) atmosphere.
As with the aforementioned bands, drums end up playing a pivotal role, acting as the arbiters of the dark mass of music and ordering it into rhythmic shape by changing the pace every now and then. They also prove essential to the slower sections where a single riff is repeated for an extended period of time before giving way to the next part; in such moments, the loud and overbearing percussion significantly contributes to the hypnotic effect that is clearly intended.
The band employs a variety of elements to further develop the atmosphere; on the first track, for instance, a mysterious synth break seizes the song and evolves into a triumphant theme backed by the guitars before the main riff resumes in all its relentless force. Such excursions enrich the emotional range of the album, refracting the despair into related shades of melancholy or dread. Their function is not to distract from the established mood (which is consistently and admirably maintained throughout the album) but to present its other nuances. The listener only has to go through the beginning of “Gray Blow” to be sure that the band’s aim is firmly set on the sinister and disquieting, independently of the means and instruments used.
In contrast to Skepticism’s often ethereal soundscapes, Unholy aim instead for a very earthly type of torment, with the visceral guitar texture constantly breathing an opaque heaviness that is likely to evoke visions of an explicitly physical suffering in addition to the spiritual desolation that equally pervades the whole album. Images of material decay and agonized flesh, like the paintings of Francis Bacon or the yugoslav Dado might provide a good analogy.
The intent of taking the listener through a surreal journey is apparent through the band’s tendency towards experimentation and extended structures that manage to balance the aim of creating an atmosphere with the interplay of various sections that act as different stops in the dark psychonautic voyage.
