Orthrelm
OV

The Orthrelm is a duo from Washington: Mick Barr on guitar and Josh Blair on drums. They debuted in 2002 with "Asristir Vieldriox," 13 minutes of an album for 99 (!) mini metal (?) songs of 3-4 seconds each.

In 2005, they released the album "OV": a single 45-minute song; for the series, there are no half measures & "listen without distraction"...

This (non?) review is the result of an actual conversation that took place on messenger between the undersigned and Gabri, who will later be referred to as m.p.p. and G.
We haven't changed anything, except for a few typos :-), so please excuse a style that's not quite Oxfordian.


ma proprio proprio: ohh! they're sick, almost as much as the Half Japanese...
m.p.p.: it's madness uncle, awesome, after a while you hear various levels of rhythm
you can follow one or the other
and then both, all three
and separate them again.
The guitar sound... is pretty horrible, you know that typical sound of super metal solos

(15m in after.. )

Gabri: wow

m.p.p.: I listened to the whole album

G.: which one?

m.p.p.: "OV" by Orthrelm

G.: is it cool?

m.p.p.: did you read above?

G.: yes, I read it

m.p.p.: it's crazy, it has only 5 or 6 pieces (movements : -) ) different in 45 minutes

Gabri: ah...

m.p.p.: but it puts you in a fearsome hypnotic state, it's definitely interesting

G.: wait wait...

m.p.p.: it's insane

G.: is it all like the beginning?

m.p.p.: no

G: is it all the same from the start apart from 5 pieces?

m.p.p.: no, then it starts with an endless solo

G: ah it's true

m.p.p.: it does have very few variations. . . like every now and then there's some explosion, but rare.

G.: well, kudos to these guys, lol

m.p.p.: damn! apart from the fact that if they really played it live, they are to be admired for the feat, regardless of the album : -)

G.: I don't think so... impossible...

G.: ...it's changing...

m.p.p.: my mom yelled at me asking if I thought this was music, lol, but do you feel you can focus on different rhythms?

G.: yes

m.p.p.: after a while you go crazy

m. p. p.: anyway, it passes quickly

G.: the third variation is beautiful

m.p.p.: yes

G.: I mean the variation that leads to the third variation, not the variation itself.

m.p.p.: Anyway, in my opinion, there are very interesting ideas; if only they were explored further and slightly humanized...

G.: humanized... right

m.p.p.: yes, even the sound is really nasty

G.: bah, it's pretty crappy

m.p.p.: deliberately I think, or rather: they don't do anything to beautify it or smooth it out...

G.: could be, but it's still ugly

m.p.p.: yes, I say nasty though... it's really nasty, it really insults you

G.: lol

m.p.p.: which is fair! that is, most listeners should rightly be insulted

G: when it changes, you go nuts...

m.p.p.: yes, you say... damn, incredible!

G.: yes

m.p.p.: it's the revolution

G.: ohhh yes

m.p.p.: you end up being happy because you settle for little and rediscover the little things in life

G.: yes, you forget the annoyance that endless solo had generated in you, but then it immediately starts again

m.p.p.: exactly

G.: if not too convenient

m.p.p.: clear

G.: it's happiness in small doses, typically interspersed with "annoyances".

m.p.p.: you know, we should save this discussion and propose it as a review on debaser.

G.: makes sense

m.p.p.: then we have to talk about it a bit more, right?: -)

G.: yes

m. p. p.: in any case, the main division for me is into three parts...

G.: damn it!

m.p.p.: ... of about 15 minutes each

G.: this piece is a monkey!

G.: well I'm still at 10 minutes

m.p.p.: strangely the album slides by quite quickly, because it puts you in this kind of hypnotic state, you forget everything

G.: indeed, these 10 minutes flew by

m.p.p.: time doesn't matter anymore

m.p.p.: the incredible execution speed of both drums and guitar creates this contrast with the obsessive repetitiveness

G.: you mean contrast sounds(fast)-repetitiveness (slowness)?

m.p.p.: yes, on one hand time seems to stand still, motionless... on the other, it seems to flow at supersonic speed

G.: yes, this album is definitely genius

m.p.p.: It gave me the distinct feeling of a real physical journey, as well as a mental one... at the change points I felt like a space traveler or something, who stops, thinks for a moment, turns, and leaves again

G.: oh, but... well, I have the feeling that it keeps changing

m.p.p.: yes sometimes it seems... I also got that feeling... small variations...

G.: yes, it does

G: listen, uncle, let's meet in the tavern because I no longer feel like staying home, bring the CD...

m.p.p.: ok, see you in a bit...

(30 minutes later, in the tavern, between beer and cigarettes, they discuss the fascinating discovery while the stereo emits apparently disgusting sounds...)

G: oh, I bet the neighbors will soon come asking us to fix the sound system... it sounds more like a stuck record than anything else... like the piece in "Djed" by Tortoise, but much worse...

(hearty laughter)

m.p.p.: you know, then it becomes more "frantic" in the changes towards the end, as if they wanted to conclude more "quickly"... not that the obsessiveness is lacking, but there are more variations, even slowdowns! and slight explosions... they almost seem human after all

G.: moreover, it seems to me that rhythmically, the drums and guitar are slightly staggered... you know, something like 2342/2343... meshuggah-style craziness

m.p.p.: hmmm, yes there's something to that, but I'm not sure... Instead, I thought back to that thing about the space journey

G.: ... I'm really high...

m.p.p.: (lol)... listening again, it even seems to tell an actual life story, this "song"...

G: yes! a life damn it...

m.p.p.: with its moments of frustration, boredom, senselessness... and then just like that unexpectedly the changes of direction, the rhythm changes...

G.: ...there's growth yes... then this finale... the drums finally stop hammering, slowing down...

m.p.p.: yes, as if realizing it has reached its end... of existence somehow...

G.: and then, really, as you said earlier, it passes quickly, that is, it's also heavy to listen to if you're not prepared, but at each variation, you almost regret it, because you had gotten used to it... this sort of trance, you almost don't want it to end

m.p.p.: exactly, then these few sounds... in the end, we're talking about drums and two/three electric guitar strings, on the last frets, nothing more... but the result is disorienting.

G.: yeah, these guys are really geniuses

m.p.p.: damn it's over... I'm almost sad... besides, the finale is really beautiful; it almost becomes a real "song"... at least you can hear a bit of dynamics...
G.: ... it was mind-blowing... great experience...

m. p. p.: well, I'm off... putting on Roy Montgomery... that I never find a moment to listen to the whole thing... and let's not smoke too much, we need to remember this stuff for the review on debaser... have a good trip G.

G.: likewise...