Metatron Omega - ISIH

The first time I hit the play button on Metatron Omega’s “ISIH”, there was no question as to the contents of the album. As wispy church choirs ran through my ears with backdrops of a thunderstorm, Gregorian chants, and general dark ambient moodiness, I felt as if I was born into a new universe. I felt as if this could be the story surrounding a group of surveyors, digging into the side of a mountain only to discover a church long abandoned – and possibly one that should have never been uncovered. It’s a testament to Metatron Omega’s sound design and philosophy. My introduction to the artist began with this album, but it compelled me to dig through the rest of his discography. And dig I did. While his prior albums contain seeds of ideas brought forth on “ISIH”, I firmly believe that this is Metatron Omega’s definitive work and one of Cryo Chamber’s most engaging album’s of 2022. 

What I described in my opening sentences above correlates exactly to the first song on the album, which so happens to be the title track. Following that, I dove right into ‘Megalosthronos’. As the far off and echoing chanting continued, tribal drums fell from the skies. Once again, the hairs on the back of my neck stood up in pleasure as my ears were fed such a sweet succulent. After the tribal drums fell off and the Gregorian chanting began to fade more so to the background, though, I believe Metatron Omega should have cut the song short. Specifically, around the five-and-a-half-minute mark or so. As the final moments of the song do play out similarly to many other dark ambient and drone pieces. 

 A bell rings to bring in ‘Imperium Novum’. Sweeping Gregorian chants do not decorate this piece, but they do work their way into the song as modified background ambiance. A primary factor in this piece that places it in a unique section are the alien whispers present throughout the track. Whether they sound like radio chatter or rough, guttural vocals as If they were arguing with a council, it’s a tremendous effect. If you were to walk through the gates of Hell, I imagine what you’d hear in the damned city would be similar to the beginning of ‘Arhontes’. Cries of anguish, far off ritualistic choirs, as you gaze upon an infernal citadel. While not as rhythmic as the previous pieces, I believe that ‘Arhontes’ comes off as the most fiendish of the bunch. 

I consider ‘Vyachnost’ to be one of the blander songs on the album. While there’s an awesome section of the track around the two-minute mark that has a definite industrial influence thanks to the scratchy drums, that only lasts for around three-minutes in the eight-minute and twenty-five second song. Much of what is before and after that mid-section I can say that, well, yes, it is, indeed, in fact, dark ambient and drone music. But it’s not very attention grabbing. 

‘Blagoslovenie’ is a ten-minute and twenty-nine second epic that’s completely fulfilling. Once again, one of my favorite sections of the song contains everything that I love about “ISIH”. Gregorian chants in the background, excellent drum work, and synths that are both heavenly and demonic. The final song on the album contains more choir ambiance, and sends off the album well. My complaint for the last track is a repeated one. Metatron Omega should have cut it short. The last three-minutes or so comes off as bland dark ambient and drone music. And I know that this artist is capable of so much more; there’s no reason to ruin a great piece like this. 

Whatever grips I have with “ISIH” are overcome by the simple fact that I continue to return to Metatron Omega’s 2022 output over and over again. There’s no denying that there’s an addictive element to the way Metatron Omega has been able to combine the best of dark ambient, drone, choir, Gregorian chants, and more into almost an hour’s worth of music. Eight-and-a-half out of ten.