Mitochondrion - Archaeaeon

Full Length, Independent

2008

A band having an absolute awkward name like Mitochondrion might sound disgusting, isn't it but what we have over here is disgusting in the best sense possible.  In Biological terminology, ''Mitochondrion" is actually an organelle that generates most of the cell's supply of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), used as a source of chemical energy. But this term cleverly justifies its appropriateness as a band name since Mitochondrion's aural projections generate an absymasly dark and ominous atmosphere which act as a source of demoniacal dynamism.


Archaeaeon was independently released earlier last year and it pounced upon the Canadian undeground like a ghoulish beast. They became the talk of the underground since the release of their first two demos in 2005 and 2006. Their musical style has been the basic highlight of their praise which is an uncanny and bizarre amalgam of darkened black metal with technically adept brutal death metal. I didn't really knew what to expect from them when I began the album but the first track after the Intro ''Chapter 11'' gave me a clear insight that I had to prepare myself for a flood of sonic onslaughts which would follow. 

Into the Pit of Babel had a very coarse beginning and pretty soon, a flurry of thunderous riffs attacked my eardrums, to be followed by a chaotic dual vocal assualt only to be continued with more raging dissonace. The vocals are one of the best highlights of this album which are an amazing blend of your average Brutal Death Metal gutturals and black metal snarls and shrieks, however, the latter has been employed sparsely and as a perfect backing support.  The blasting cacophony on the first track unexpectedly disperses into a melodic verse which is caracterized by a subtle acoustic riff accompanied by synthwork, gutturals and snarls. That part gives me goose pimples on every listen! Then suddenly it faints and there is a deep silence for a few moments, just like the calm before a storm and the carnage rages on abruptly. 


The whole of this album offers this unique harmony of weird tremolo picked technical riffage with occult black metal-esque parts. The drumming has been perfect and deftly mixed with an efficient double bass work and the slower parts have also been played suavely. Archaeaeon's murky production enhances the credibility of their musical style and it  gives you an impression of bands like Demilich and Portal fused with Candian ''war metal'' connoisseiurs Blasphemy. Its just something which doesn't come out everyday. 


Although each track on the album is a sheer display of brilliant musicianship, the tracks like ''Akashic Predation'', ''Wraith'' and ''Agonizing (In The Shadow of the Hammerblow)'' especially desplay the incredible talent of these Victorian blasphemers. Creating an experimental musical piece always involves a lot of risks since either the output can be a pile of mess or it can be sheer magnificence. Mitochondrion have been able to achieve the latter of the two outputs and that too with a monstrous effect. What could be a better example than the fact that all the 666 copies  were sold out within a little while and they got signed to Profound Lore which boasts artists like Krallice, Altar of Plagues, Portal etc on its roster. Its a label which would do justice to their music and probably release more such masterpieces in the near future.

People looking for occult and apocalyptic death metal should definitely hear this masterpiece. 


This is pure horror in audial form. 


 Check them out over here
http://www.myspace.com/mitochondrion