Dark Buddha Rising - Abyssolute Transfinite (2011)

Band: Dark Buddha Rising
Country: Laitila, Finland
Style: Drone/Doom Metal
Label: Post-Rbmm

Drone/Doom metal is something that usually doesn't interest me, why, because there isn't a whole lot of originality going on in that sub-genre. While the occasional Sunn 0))) or Monarch! sticks out from the bunch, a lot of it just goes nowhere, slowly. So what made me want to hear this, well I was studying Buddhism at the time when I found this album, plus I found out about a particular guest that make an appearance on here as well.
I'll be the first to say that drone music is not a personal favorite of mine, I'll indulge myself now and again to the style, but it's not something I'll usually put on for enjoyment, even the bands I like. This album, or really this band, really do something different from the other artists I enjoy, what's on here is much more psychedelic and trippy sounding, instead of being extremely heavy, experimental, or atmospheric. Though most passages are long and drawn out, there's a constantly shifting atmosphere that really brings a sort of haziness to the album, a psychedelic vibe if you will, which range from almost pure noise to more ambient sounds. The bass playing on here is absolutely fantastic, in my opinion, it's very fluid while keeping nice grooves flowing throughout a track, but it's also very hypnotizing, hear opener Ashtakra I.
Now, despite the praise I'm giving this, it is still a drone record, and like I said, it's not one of my favorite styles. Truthfully, some parts on here were just plain boring, to me anyway, like the second track Ashtakra II, with it's more down-played style of playing, with most elements of the band's heaviness being traded in for a more brooding sense of atmosphere. Though even I cannot say that the longest, and most effective track on here, Chonyidt 45, was not powerful in it's performance. Though the more tribal ambient nature of album closer Sol'Yata is pretty powerful in it's own right, being the piece on here that really brings things to a close after the intensity of the preceding track, the chanting by Kvohst on here is also well done.
Overall, this is a pretty solid album, not really my thing and not really something I could see me listening to over again, but it was pretty cool. It has its moments, some parts are really cool and trippy while others are just plain boring. I'm sure if you're into more of the drony doom stuff, this will be one of your favorite releases this year, but otherwise I don't think it's going to appeal to most.
Overall Score: 7
Highlights: Chonyidt 45