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The music of DIVIDE AND DISSOLVE has not only been thoroughly crushing in a sonic sense with the huge swathes of instrumental doom clearing all in its path with its sheer power, but it has also always been forward thinking and thought provoking. That is testament to the talent of Takiaya Reed and her boundary breaking musical ideas.
This ethos doesn’t change one iota on their powerful new album Insatiable, but what it does do is that it taps into so many different emotions throughout its duration. The result, is that the record creates a feeling of true beauty, no matter how dark it gets and it does get dark but it also conjures up feelings of the most life affirming music possible, such is its power.
No matter how bleak that music gets however, there is a constant feeling of hope throughout too, and not just in a cathartic way; this is music to be healed by and to take something positive away after listening to it. It captures your soul, and with so many emotions swirling together, it is impossible not to feel taken by it in the most heartwarming and heart wrenching way possible.
Takiaya Reed lays her soul bare on this record with the music here utterly captivating and hypnotic as well as at times adding a feeling of disorientation, which works so well, and from start to finish this is an album that will consume you for a very long time indeed.
From the formidable dread of opening track Hegemonic and the aptly titled Monolithic, with its suitably haunting intro that gives way to a behemoth of a riff frenzy to the desolate groove of Withholding and the macabre beauty of Loneliness, and on to the bleakness of Dichotomy, the unashamedly triumphant Provenance and the formidable Disintegrate, Insatiable is a force of sonic power to be reckoned with, and a real statement of intent.
Insatiable also features Reed‘s vocals for the first time on the track Grief which adds another dimension to the music , and is undoubtedly up there with the most affecting tracks they have ever done, if not at the very top of that tree. Her distorted vocals act as another instrument and the track explores another important emotional element in a very subtle but effective manner with its “I don’t know what I’m supposed to do, I’m so lonely without you” hushed refrain amplifying this to tremendous effect.
Insatiable concludes with the mesmerising doom laden drone of Holding Pattern before the dreamlike and utterly captivating Death Cult finishes things off in the most perfect fashion, ending things off in a cinematic and dreamlike way, and with that, this incredible journey is over but not without leaving you with a multitude of joyous feelings.
With Insatiable, DIVIDE AND DISSOLVE have made the album of their career so far and Takiaya Reed must applauded for that forward thinking approach to the music here. It is heavy, haunting and healing in equal measure and you will struggle to find an album that is as powerful and as beautiful this year, or any other year come to think of it. Ultimately, Insatiable is ultimately an unforgettable album that fills you with hope overall, despite that rollercoaster of emotional turmoil that abounds.
Rating: 8/10
Insatiable is out now via Bella Union
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The post ALBUM REVIEW: Insatiable – Divide and Dissolve appeared first on Distorted Sound Magazine.
