Style: progressive rock, psychedelic rock, stoner rock (clean vocals)
Recommended for fans of: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard, Elder, The Mars Volta, King Crimson
Country: Norway
Release date: 11 October, 2024
It must be a universal experience for metal fans to have their music taste described as “angry” or “sad” or associated with some other emotion that’s typically viewed as negative. I, for one, distinctly remember being asked by a high school crush something along the lines of “Don’t you ever listen to anything happy?” This kind of judgment—and sometimes concern for your mental wellbeing—can be hard to shake, but veterans of the genre know that metal music need not be defined by negativity; rather, the unifying attribute tends to be intense expressiveness. While that commonality admittedly lends itself to anger or sadness or similar, it can also intensify the ability to express a brighter aesthetic. Although Kosmodome are not a metal band, they tap into some of that same passion to support the broad emotional range of their music.
Ad Undas is built on a fundamental contradiction of themes, with the explicit meaning of the lyrics and the implied emotional content of the music each pulling strongly in different directions. According to the band, “Lyrically [the album] delves into personal struggles with self-doubt, the pressures of societal expectations, and the existential battles of modern life. The songs touch on different aspects of the human condition, from the fear of failure and the need for growth to the turmoil of modern living and relentless self-exertion in a chaotic world.” However, while those feelings are explored outright in the text of the lyrics, they don’t seem like an obvious fit for the overall bubbly, energetic tone of the backing music. Despite opening with lyrics like “Why did I have to lose my ability / To feel like I’m good enough? / Here I am full of doubt / With my own negativity pulling me down,” you would be forgiven for drawing an overall positive emotional impression from the opening track “Neophobia” or from equally high-energy outings later in the tracklist like “Dystopia.” In fairness, this tonal contradiction plays well enough into the psychedelic aesthetic, which inherently questions what is real and what is just a product of one’s own mind, but it poses a puzzle for any listener intent on marrying mood and subject.
Psychedelic rock demands less rigid conformity from its constituents than some other subgenres do, and bands like Kosmodome pull together a broad mix of inspirations from their cohort. Early tracks like “Neophobia” and “Obsternasig” bring to mind King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard with their lively jamming energy led by bright, fluffy guitar melodies paired with nasal, slightly pitchy singing. Other moments, like the middle and later parts of “Dystopia,” employ a crunchier, Elder-like mix, with more space reserved for layers of reverb and distorted guitars to build an enveloping atmosphere. Although never fully reaching the point of copying these other artists, the similarities help to corral Kosmodome’s freeform sound into a recognizable shape and focus their diverse energies into memorable moments. Once they grow tired of harping on external influences, Kosmodome bring out their own signature style, settling into steady, rolling grooves full of bass that are hard not to tap your foot to, but such interim moments rarely carry the same force as when channeling other artists.
With all these different styles competing for the spotlight, Ad Undas faces some instability in how strong and compelling different sections are. When using other bands as a template, Kosmodome’s music rolls along with captivating energy and a mysterious mood, but the more original—and thus less structured—interim portions often lose that momentum and stumble. The second track, “Hyperion,” fades into obscurity after a couple of listens primarily due to its lack of these borrowed vibes, despite a strong middle section featuring jaunty jams. In the more extreme case, “Turmoil” throws the quality of the album into turmoil with its bland, overlong instrumental intro leading only to unenthusiastic vocal sections. The closing song “Fatigue” then faces an overwhelming challenge to get the groove back on track and finish strong—a challenge it can’t quite meet. Despite its valiant effort, Ad Undas finishes on a bit of a low note as the depressive energies of the lyrics finally stifle the bold, energetic grooves that otherwise define the album’s high points.
Kosmodome’s lively energy is infectious whether or not it fits the lyrical text at hand. Despite unhappy themes of inadequacy, the overall musical mood is positive, often bouncy, and replete with energetic grooves. The band members make good use of their obvious psychedelic influences, including King Gizz and Elder, but falter somewhat when left to their own devices. With sections of clear inspiration that pay homage to the greats, it’s all the more disappointing when the band’s more original contributions lack distinction and fall prey to the low energy malaise brought forth by the lyrics. Still, Ad Undas leaves a solid impression, driven by those groovy and bright high points, which can’t be fully extinguished by the rest.
Recommended tracks: Neophobia, Obsternasig, Dystopia
You may also like: Himmellegeme, delving, we broke the weather, Mount Hush
Final verdict: 7/10
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | YouTube | Facebook | Instagram
Label: Stickman Records – Bandcamp | Facebook | Official Website
Kosmodome is:
– Sturle Sandvik (vocals, guitars)
– Severin Sandvik (vocals, drums)
– Erlend Nord (guitars)
– Ole-Andreas Jensen (bass)
