Ezekiel RodofiliFinally, Kurushimi state that Music Remains.
Wait, hang on.
Finally, Kurushimi state that Chaos Remains.
Kurushimi’s Chaos Remains sounds variable, but it also feels really controlled and linear. Maybe the performance is tighter. Maybe the conductor kept a really tight grip on how things proceeded. It’s possible that the performers use a specific set of reactions to what others are doing. It’s hard to tell. In any event, there’s less of a sense of spontaneity.
Extremities and exploration remain, however, and it is in these where a lot of the juiciness lies. “The Omen” drags and crawls with menace, “Black” heaves and pummels through repetition, and “Necrosis” takes on a stabbing aggression that fully unfurls near the end and only for a brief period. Outside of these three there is a lot of heaviness, cacophonous noise and blasting, much of it interwoven in a few forms.
One of the lengthier tracks, “The Mysteries of Chaos”, remains relatively understated for most of its run. There’s so much behind it that suggests something looking to just tear out and attack and eventually it does. However, Kurushimi don’t spend most of the song building but rather moving through a journey of sorts. They travel and search for the right place and right moment. When they eventually let loose they become menacing and almost frenzied.
Perhaps Chaos Remains‘s strength lies in these particular sections, but to say so risks labeling too much of the album as one-dimensional, which it often is. That said, there’s a bit of digging in terms of mood and atmosphere, of which the songs are more willing to suggest on the surface.
I think the main issue with Chaos Remains is that it often feels like a sampler of sorts. A fair portion of the work feels like a series of rough sketches. However, some songs such as “The Mysteries of Chaos”, “Chaos Dub” and “Wormhole” feel more complete in intent and performance. Maybe the pieces couldn’t come to fruition but were seen as worth releasing. If so, then fair enough; there are strong ideas here. There is a sense of unity in the performance, the whole thing gets in and out whilst packing in quite a lot, and overall it’s just solid work throughout.
Maybe I’m missing the whole point of Chaos Remains. Maybe it gives glimpses of things passing by and lets us fill out blanks, regardless of their being suggested or imagined.
Anyway, Chaos Remains is a decent listen overall and another worthwhile inclusion in Kurushimi’s discography.
Chaos Remains is available here.