Origin Of The Alimonies - Liturgy: Review
is a "transcendental black metal" project spearheaded by songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Hunter Hunt-Hendrix. Last year Hendrix surprise released the projects 4th album H.A.Q.Q which was centered around grand philosophical theories of self and surroundings. Given the free time during quarantine the project has had a quick turn around with the release of two singles this year leading up to Origin of The Alimonies just over a year after H.A.Q.Q.
Review By Lav:
Like each of the Liturgy records I wanted to be as educated as possible going into the project and this one was quite tricky. Not only does the project relate to some of the philosophical subject matter from her last record but also dives into some details that had me googling theories and origin stories of the universe before I even started listening to the music. While I have tried pretty hard to understand the album as much as I can there are still things I don't have the right context to see through the abstraction so I will try not to make and all encompassing statements since I know I'll surely be proven wrong by a YouTube scholar who has cracked the record deeper than I have. That being said I put all this time into the record because I had really high hopes for it given how much I've enjoyed previous Liturgy works and how much I liked the pair of singles leading up to Origin. While not every second of this37 minute record feels completely essential it's most potent moments are sonically diverse and thematically profound.
Unpacking some of the philosophy of this record has taken me through a video Hunter posted on YouTube which uses her gender transition to make analogous statements on the album, as well as reading descriptions on the albums Bandcamp and what numerous music publications have written about the project. This has led me to what I believe is the most accurate information, which is that the album is split into 3 parts with an overture and a 14 minute interlude. The overture The Separation Of HAQQ From HAEL seems to reference a transition from the last Liturgy album through I can't 100% confirm that. It is a mostly calm and quiet orchestral arrangement that slowly works its way into slightly more involved dissonance before erupting into a post-rock like expression of manic instrumentation. The sound is rousing but distinctly cautionary and a good set-up for the albums sonic outlook from this point on.
OIOION's Birth is the records shortest track and also the introduction to Act 1 which follows one of the albums handful of characters across two tracks. It starts off quieter with some haunted house keys that spell out impending doom almost comically. It reaches for further fear with shrill horns that go through glitch like manipulations all leading up to the next track where all the building completely explodes. Lonely OIOION kicks off with black metal vocals cascading over jittery drum passages that serve as the signals for one calculated burst of sounds after another across the tracks first minute. While it does have moments of charming interlude the songs core focus is around these bursts of energy and it returns to them frequently throughout its runtime. I think the song is rousing and compositionally balanced to set up one compelling moment after another.
Act II begins with The Fall Of SIHEYMN another track featuring a very drawn out intro with more somber horns. It has a very slow build in instrumentation which in itself isn't afraid to take long passages of silence in between. It's mentioned on the Bandcamp page for the record that there are experiments in improvisation on the record and this is the point that feels to me the most likely manifestation of that. It bounces between serenity and dissonance but at nearly five minutes it feels like there should be something more significant here, especially given the very next track interrupts all of it's momentum immediately with its steady key phrase. SIHEYMN's Lament was my favorite of the two singles and I still really enjoy it in the context of the record. The distant black metal vocal are backed by a slow instrumental build that continues to introduce more and more layers until it is sonically completely overwhelming. Going from just the keys alone to chugging heavy metal guitars, glitchy effects and more rapid fire drum transitions is a thrilling experience each time.
The records longest track is the 14 minute Apparition Of The Eternal Church but thematically I've read it only serves as just an interlude between acts 2 and 3. It begins with a driving guitar riff and key phrase that rise together over it's first few minutes. It's first long passage kicks off when the drums first enter as high octane passages of instrumentally layered fervor that give way to brief reflective silences one after another. Eventually the breaks disappear and the pin point drumming and increasingly prevalent keys take over completely. Around the 6 minute mark there is a long passage of guitar feedback that gives way to another instrumental sequence that feel post-rock inspired. There is a resilient energy behind the ascending guitar lines and triumphant horns that reaches a peak when the vocals come crashing into the mix. Despite the sound of the vocals I think the lyrics depict a brighter break from the records narrative that fit perfectly with the instrumental.
Finally the record closes off with its one song Act III The Armistice. The track fits its title well as the records two principle characters essentially talk out a solution over a string arrangement and occasional crashes of cymbals and guitar chords. It's a definitive moment of conclusion to the record that sees it's conflicted narrative finding some amount of clarity. Sonically the a;bum literally ends off with some blissful plucking of what sounds like harps which is such a fitting ending.
Origin Of The Alimonies is narratively and sonically ambitious. While taking a deep dive into the records philosophy makes the music that much better it can still stand alone as a compelling musical statement. Hunter's idea of black metal is as progressive as ever and works in not only other genres but other styles of recording to craft a truly unique sounding record. While some of its high concept features can also work as limitations, as a closed 37 minutes of music Origin is smart, detailed and overwhelming in both its narrative and sound. If any of this sounds appealing to the part of your brain that loves experimental music do yourself a favor and indulge with the album, you'll be glad you did. 8/10
Album Cover Review By Tyler Judson:
I really enjoy this cover. I love symmetry and with the subject matter it makes you question if it's manipulated or not at first glance. The circle in the middle is striking and is starkly contrasted to the moody color palette in the space around it. This cover doesn't need text as the image has enough personality that it will be recognized immediately.
For more experimental music read my review of Uboa's The Flesh Of The World here
