There are some things that are absolutely certain in life. Birth, death, the fact that sweetcorn tastes repellent, and Olhava releasing another perfect, flawless and divinely spiritual album. And here, with their seventh full length ‘Memorial’, they have of course done it again….possibly marginally better (if at all possible) than the preceding six times.
Based in St Petersburg, Russia, with its hugely influential post-black metal scene, Olhava are a band I have never seen live, know very little about but one that has lived inside me, ever-present, since their incredible and defining self-titled debut in 2019.
Olhava don’t write music. They create soundscapes that emanate from a spiritual realm – a place that can be found in the darkest recesses of your mind but feels vast and out of reach. Olhava guide you in immediately as they return with the droning, white noise encircled, meditative synth swells that are the umpteenth part of their Ageless River series (that began on 2020’s Ladoga).
All the uniqueness that only Olhava can bring to atmospheric black and post-black metal is once again present in earnest. The crescendos and the intricate, ingenious and progressive approaches to layering and mixing give yet another Olhava album that supernatural quality. It’s not that they are doing anything particularly different – they just sound like Olhava and that is more than enough.
Clocking in at an hour and 18 minutes is a completely pointless observation. ‘Memorial’ puts your mind into such a deeply content and meditative continuity that you could let this album spin and spin, and probably only realise that you’d listened to it numerous times when nature calls or your generous helping of the old red stuff runs out. I cannot think of another band, certainly for me, where that is the case.
Who needs opiates, or painkillers or anxiety medication? Just play me Olhava and save the hassle. ‘Memorial’ is at the very tip of creative expression and the power of using music as a holistic artform. It is, quite simply, a glorious, moving and fucking wonderful experience. Maybe the answer to pretty much everything.
Best Paired With: The Zen State, Internet Black spots and A Huge Void.
Reviewed by Jaff.
Memorial by Olhava is out now on Avantgarde Music.
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