After hearing Adumbratus for the first time, once I have put the album away I got myself busy doing research on Haeresiarchs of Dis. After all this one man band was promised to be the US answer to Emperor, no less. A big statement to live up to and the biggest first impression I had with Adumbratus was confusion. So I read some more about Cernunnos and his vision, sampled some pieces from In Obsecration of the Seven Darks, and revisited Adumbratus for a few more times. Sadly, call me not sophisticated, but I still fail to see the genius in this album. There is a good philosophical saying: two people on the moonlit night are staring into the puddle, one of them sees the moon, another just the puddle itself. Me and Adumbratus - I just see the puddle and very little moonlight.

The album is certainly searches to combine duality of atmosphere and chaos. And as atmosphere inducing as the opener Preclusion is, church organ opening of Nocturne upon the Conticinium, dark dripping acoustic The Devil’s Abode or pretty Cavus Becometh Man with distant thundering crush, don’t be fooled. Don’t expect anything majestic or symphonic or Emperor either, but brace yourself for cacophonous narrow sound starting with When the Cold Dark Reigns, continuing on with Nocturne upon the Conticinium, and really never seizing in intensity all the way to closer Reclamation of the Hinterlands. Add suffocated screechy high pitched vocals, and I didn’t know what irritated me more, those vocals or inhuman pace of programmed drum blasting. This is lawnmower music, if there is one, taking a few breaks with dungeony drips (Cessation Axiomi) or tribal chant Septenary, but inevitably restarting the engine immediately afterwards with Acretion of Hesperos and Flesh or Infernal Chasma of Adversary’s Remains. I found Adumbratus to be as far away from Emperor as North and South poles. If anything, this is close to purposeless Absu, and maybe it is just the song titles. In this cacophonous madness, Cernunnos actually gives a few glimpses of clarity, the brief melodic riffing around 6’ in Acretion of Hesperos and Flesh and another clear riff around 5’ in Nucleus of Corruption, Part 1, Compulsory Treatise, but when atonal arrhythmic buzzmachine takes over in Infernal Chasma of Adversary’s Remains, that is my lasting memory of Adumbratus.

In existence for over a decade, Haeresiarchs of Dis must have their own cult of followers. I’m prepared to accept the wrath thrown my way for the lack of ability to comprehend the art here, but joining those faithful, count me out.