Album Review: آكتئاب by Ddent

Posted by altdialogue in Albums, Discography // 3 Comments

French dark post-rock act Ddent release their debut album آكتئاب on 13^th February. A formidable eight tracks coming in just shy of an hour, it blends post-metal riffs, shoegazing introspection and post-rock dynamics.

Ddent is the instrumental brainchild of guitarist and multi-instrumentalist Louis Lambert and drummer Marc Le Saux. First EP “Chien Noir” (in reference to Churchill’s “black dog” metaphor) sees the day in 2013, which quickly leads to the addition of live musicians to the project. This milestone that lays the foundations for a dark post-rock sound, inducing an inevitable spiritual and sensory journey.

After a two-year hiatus, the project rises in the winter of 2015 with a new set of live musicians, the songwriting remaining the exclusive preserve of its main founder and guitarist. Debut album آكتئاب (ektiheb; or melancholy, depression) is recorded at Skyhammer Studio (Conan, Electric Wizard, Napalm Death) in Liverpool.

آكتئاب takes the same form of instrumental post-rock albums – big sweeping soundscapes with an unquantifiable amount of emotion crammed into each opus. Where Ddent differ is their amalgamation of elements of industrial and post-metal into the mix. Second track ‘Arzel’ is a stunning piece of post-rock, however add in the crushing riffs and the sporadic industrial drumming and the track becomes something very special.

‘Ghazel’ is ambitious and embodies its name – (in Middle Eastern and Indian literature and music) a lyric poem with a fixed number of verses and a repeated rhyme, typically on the theme of love, and normally set to music. Again you get the feeling that you’re listening to something truly special, something deeply personal and straight from the heart. Expansive and sonically diverse. ‘Kohol’ takes a darker and altogether approach – it’s just enthralling albeit with a visceral edge.

The quieter post-rock followed by heavy post-metal double header is repeated with ‘Houri’ and ‘Almee’. Both excellent tracks, the latter is especially worthy of your attention. Album closer ‘Azahar’ finishes proceedings in a wonderful crash of heavy riffs and big sonic soundscapes. There’s something special about Ddent and although آكتئاب may have its roots in the melancholy its perfectly life affirming.

AD Rating 8.75/10