Deathspell Omega

French extreme experimentalists Deathspell Omega start off this EP (which follows up 2010's worthy Paracletus) with "Salowe Vision," a tune that reminds listeners of the promise metalgaze once had. This sounds really odd coming from these guys, or not: everything they do is really odd, so maybe it just makes sense. They revisit that epic post-metal sound later on with "Sand," which, at 1:41, gets going just as it stops; it's the ultimate middle finger to the nine-minute-song set. But the gazing ends there ― much of the rest of this 21-minute disc is raging, chaotic, dissonant and nihilistic black metal. Songs like "Abrasive Swirling Murk" are full of great drum work (love the fast-footed hi-hat action) and jagged riffing, with tons of blast beats leading the way. "The Crackled Book of Life" ends the album on a classy note, again bringing to mind some of the more bookish, thoughtful bands out there today. This group do EPs well, and this one is very cool indeed.