There are few real joys in life. The birth of your child, the feeling when you make it to the toilet just in time, a good schnitzel, and when an album you did not expect to like hits you like a hammer in the face. This is what happened to me with The Treason of Consciousness, the debut album of Odious Spirit. Full of small, intricate things, The Treason of Consciousness will take any listener on a journey through their nightmares.
James Oskarbski, the main brain (and only body) behind Odious Spirit, is not afraid to use all kinds of effects to create the best kind of oppressive music. The main ingredient on this fantabulous album is psychedelic guitar witchcraft. Odious Spirit do not rely on catchy riffs or meaty sounds. Instead, they use the guitar to sing, to panic, and to create a sense of dread. Self-described as “played with minimal guitars”, this may sound contradictory to what you hear, but it works. The Treason of Consciousness is often just a simple but effective concert of guitar, drums, and vocals that create striking patterns and hypnotic sounds. All songs flow naturally through the wicked psychedelia of The Treason of Consciousness, not once ever feeling aimless. Apart from the oddly long interlude in the middle of the record, that is. But other than that, there isn’t much to complain about.
Odious Spirit take inspiration from the veterans of weirdness, Voivod, but they didn’t merely copy it — they improved it. Each track brings out a new soundscape and a number of new elements, yet it always retains its signature sound. There is nothing to stop this album from being great—even that interlude, which itself becomes part of the experience anyway. As a debut, Odious Spirit really hit the sweet spot on which they can build. Sure, this kind of music may not be for every metal aficionado out there, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t potential greatness hidden here.
