Often during war, scientific and engineering breakthroughs come at a breakneck pace. Within only a few years during World War II, for example, scientists on both sides of the conflict moved from rudimentary theoretical concepts of atomics to the Americans producing a nuclear weapon and the Germans not far behind them - only stymied in their quest for their chosen moderator, heavy water, by Norwegian saboteurs under the command of Leif Tronstad. Ischemic must be under similar self-inflicted stress because in the three years between 2013's Frigid Descent and 2016's All Paths Lead Nowhere, a similar breakthrough has seemingly occurred. Ischemic sent me their recent albums, from All Paths Lead Nowhere to their recent eponymous full length but for context, I decided to start at Frigid Descent, an interesting and audacious yet merely formative release to my ears. I was not sure whether there could be a significant ascent in the albums to follow but All Paths Lead Nowhere has been in my stereo for several weeks now and I've enjoyed it each time.
It's clear that Ischemic has moved on from their 'rudimentary theoretical concepts' to effective practical theory. Not only are the individual songs better defined as lone entities, the album has a more mature and thoughtful gait, even though the songs are all mid-paced. Also evident is a great overall confidence amongst the band, especially vocalist Isa, who is truly impressive across all the tracks. The playback through my tape offers a bottom-end loaded pounding affair that captures the gut of the listener, but the higher frequency scratchiness of the guitar renders the important melodic themes with clarity and atmosphere. Where Frigid Descent could be described as shooting at something which had already been accomplished by Evoken or especially Ataraxie to a high degree of precision, All Paths Lead Nowhere is closer to something Ischemic could call their own. This shift in style brings them closer to a band like Hivelords than doom death genre progenitors and masters.
The improved flow of All Paths Lead Nowhere is a major key for the EP's success. Opening track, "Nowhere", has the intent of an introduction and sets the overall plaintive mood of the record with a slow clean twanging guitar melody before launching into the only slightly faster, but more aggressive "Black Mass Metastasis." While Frigid Descent's first two tracks ran a marathon twenty-three minutes and demanded the listener carve out time in their day to partake, All Paths Lead Nowhere covers just a few minutes more than this as an entirety, proving to be a more sizeable portion. "Into Oceans Unknown" highlights Isa's vocal range with searing black metal inspired screeches during the tracks' faster moments, and deeper death metal growls during the slower pre-historic vibed transitional moments. "Barren" is the album's biggest surprise and my favorite track. It is the most emotive track on the album, coming across stoically as guitars weave beautiful leads behind the long drawn out chords which would be at home on masterpieces like Morgion's Solinari or Disembowelment's Transcendence into The Peripheral. When Isa enters with her massive vocals along with drummer Chris and the huge low end of Anthony's bass, rare power is unleashed. "Barren", though, is truly just a lead in to the EP's final eponymous track, but is more than the following ten minute long album closer in it's two minute run-time. The albums longest track is placed ideally as the final song, resolving the album's pacing nicely with an tense fatalism similar to "Black Mass Metastasis."
Ischemic have taken a great leap forward with All Paths Lead Nowhere and it is evident throughout each track. The overall impression is that All Paths Lead Nowhere is the progeny of a band who, during the creation and recording, were open to the rare energy that manifests in dank sweaty rehearsal caves amongst an inspired group of briefly connected intellects. Decisions about letting notes ring, letting the floor tom be the percussive glue across numerous tracks, the powerful two-voice approach of Isa, and the smooth movement from start to finish sound natural and intrinsic. Breakthroughs in every component elevate All Paths Lead Nowhere and leave me salivating instead of sickened to move into Ischemic's full length albums.
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