Description
An insight analysis of “Oizys”Blackened death metal quintet AOIDOS, whose name AOIDOS means bard in Ancient Greek, places storytelling at the heart of their powerful and ambient sound. Fusing haunting melodies and atmospheres from the realms of black metal in conjunction with the power and groove of death, AOIDOS present a plethora of enchanting and shadowy tales in their forthcoming album. Oizys is set for release on November 29th, 2024, via Nox Liberatio Records.
The album’s title, Oizys, is the name of the Ancient Greek goddess of anxiety and depression. Throughout the track list are interwoven personal tales involving struggles with mental health and witnessing the struggles of loved ones. The album’s opener “Dieaed” (Diseased – written by Freitanás when he had food poisoning and a keyboard without a working “S” key), draws inspiration from HANS ZIMMER and is a cinematic piece. The track presents initial ideas that are developed later in “Trauma”, and mirrors the album’s closure. “Thrall”, the only track without a piano, is an explosive assault on the senses; a portrayal of despair and rebellion. “Fire” was inspired by Pedrogão Grande’s wildfires that occurred in 2017, and is a personal tale predominantly of survival but also balanced with grief and loss.
“Oizys” explores the struggles of mental health through the metaphor of a toxic relationship. Musically, the intensity reflects desperate attempts to be rid of it – presenting a sense of urgency and the struggle to fight back. In “Trauma”, AOIDOS produce a thrilling soundscape with fleeting moments of serenity hidden among the intense heavy instrumentation. “Trauma” also sees lyrics in the band’s native language of Portuguese. Providing a brief interlude and space to breathe, “Old Ballad” is a standalone acoustic composition that offers calm before plunging into the depths of “The Wheels”. Leaning further into the black metal subgenre, the track also contains elements of thrash and punk. This fast-paced song with its anthemic chorus makes it one of the band’s crowd-pleasers on the live stage.
Showcasing the musical influences of GOJIRA and CHILDREN OF BODOM, “Black Swan” is about the theory of “black swan events”. These are events that come as a surprise and have a major, and most of the time, devastating effect, but can be rationalized after the fact with the benefit of hindsight. The track thunders with annihilating rhythms and brutal onslaughts. Venturing into the world of Warhammer 40,000, “From the Surface Grate” continues the theme of suffering at the hands of god-like or near-immortal beings. While a glimmer of hope is presented, the reality of personal struggles shows the victims of this tale unconvinced, seeing darkness fall once again.
“Slumber” marks the beginning of the end of Oizys. The highly ambient track represents the abyss. An eerie ticking clock marks the approaching end accompanied by sound effects produced using an electric 8-string guitar and a heavily distorted stylophone, all flooded with reverb. The otherworldly sounds bleed through into “All! Wherever! Always!” and are enhanced with the piano being exchanged for a harpsichord, overlapping polyrhythms, and changes in the spatial occupancy of the guitars. The track is intentionally chaotic in its structural arrangement as it dismantles order and purpose.
