I had the thought, prior to writing this, that doom metal isn’t a particularly political subgenre of metal. Most heavy metal, for that matter, isn’t inherently political, but some certainly is, ranging from one extreme to another. Most bands, particularly in doom, generally favor the social outsider position, non-conformity, and leave the politics there. This thought lead me to reading a dissertation by David Burke, a media studies grad student and musician who specializes in heavy music, entitled Political Expression In Doom Metal. I did this not only because it aligns with my interests, but because Divide And Dissolve is an overtly political project.
Divide And Dissolve is the work of Takiaya Reed with percussive support from Silvie Nehill, who merge contemporary minimalist composition, drone, and doom metal with influences from jazz, almost entirely without vocals or lyrics. Which means, that unlike Black Sabbath, Primitive Man, Thou, or the handful of other doom metal acts that have employed political messaging into their music, there aren’t really lyrics to express those messages. Beyond their anti-colonial messaging, Divide And Dissolve are a great band. Their album Systemic was one of my favorite albums of 2023, and they have toured with Low (a personal favorite), as well as had their music remixed by Chelsea Wolfe and Moor Mother.
On their latest album, Insatiable, Reed confesses that the title came from a dream. Where previous albums, like Systemic and Gas Lit, had something of a more negative approach to their themes, Insatiable is an album about love, decolonizing and dismantling white supremacy through compassion, the philosophy of impermanence, and achieving a kind of positive liberation where we all can be free.
Insatiable starts with a rare moment of vocalization from Reed, layering a haunting, processed choral arrangement over a drumless noise warble on “Hegemonic.” While there is much beauty to absorb in this juxtaposition, there is a repetition that emphasizes the concept of hegemony. So much so that it feels “Monolithic,” the title of the second track, whose processed saxophone and string arrangements echo “Hegemonic” before the tell-tale dirge of bottomed-out guitars and plodding doom drums slink into focus. Reminiscent of Black Sabbath‘s tritones on their song, “Black Sabbath,” the composition is short, yet crushing. It also introduces a second motif in its pitch-bending lilt that is similar to the previous vocal motif, but far heavier.
As the album progresses, these motifs return. And though Insatiable is only around a half an hour divided amongst 10 tracks, the album is sort of a suite, best taken in one listen to get the full impact and effect. Strings and saxophone return on “Loneliness,” with the feel of a film score. One can picture the isolation and disparate anxiety of an overhead shot of a war-ravaged city with a lone survivor traversing the rubble, an image increasingly familiar to anyone watching current global tragedies. The musical fluidity of that track is disrupted by the heavy start and stop composition of “Dichotomy.”
The merger of these more orchestral sounds and lumbering guitar drones comes and goes, creating a dramatic effect unlike most purveyors of doom. The dynamics of Pallbearer come to mind, as does the soft-loud-soft structures of Pixies or many shoegaze bands. These seemingly conflicting sounds lend to the idea of impermanence as much as they create a gripping emotional effect. When the pitch-bending motif returns on “Disintegrate,” it is slowed down even further with highly reverbed drums and increased amplifier feedback that feels claustrophobic and anxious. Yet, the soft vocal interlude of “Grief” is an immediate balm.
Hauntingly lovely and massively heavy, Divide And Dissolve have given us a unique take on doom metal, one where composition and emotional heft are delivered beyond the stereotypical bong hits, wizardry, and nihilism of the genre’s most notorious acts, and through the titles and approach, one cannot help but feel the love that went into Insatiable. This is still doom, however, and there is no sense of merriment or jubilation to be had. There is work ahead to achieve the world Divide And Dissolve dream of. Through minor chord melodies and bludgeoning riffs, the destruction of colonialism, imperialism, and the oppressive economic systems that feed these evils can only be vanquished by an undying appetite for compassion and solidarity. Should more academic work address political doom metal, Divide And Dissolve will surely be a reference point.
Header image courtesy of Abbey Raymonde
