“A collection of vivid, visceral short stories, each with its own message of doom and gloom.”
Slow and deliberate, with rich themes that aim to tell multiple stories about lessons learned too late or not at all. That is the impression Mad God’s recent project, An Age of Ash, gives off.
Formed in 2014 in South Africa by Tim Harbour (vocals and guitar), Patrick Stephansen (drums), and Tim Harrison (bass), the band released this as their third fully realised concept album. Previous projects include A Tale of A Sightless City (2017) and Grotesque and Inexorable (2018), which focused primarily on themes of true crime and cosmic horror.
Throughout all of this, they have established a strong narrative-driven style, with their latest album drawing from dark fantasy. In doing so, they have carefully curated an atmosphere of dread and despair, themes that are common in the doom metal genre. They conjure a wasteland, filled with characters struggling to survive and find meaning in their actions. For instance, “An Age of Ash, ” which the album is named after, feels as if it embodies the character of the Mad God himself or of a forgotten God. Who will make this world his kingdom, turning it into dust while exerting control over his subjects’ minds, bodies, and souls.
Each track is its own journey, with the longest “Chosen” coming in at 10:44. When listening to the 41 min 56 sec album, be prepared to sit with long guitar solos and breakdowns – as it is through them that this seedy atmosphere is built. These constructed psychedelic layers are thick and filthy, leaving an almost metallic taste in your mouth just by listening. Heavy distortion can also be picked out in each song, giving them a characteristic that ties them all together into one cohesive piece.
This is all the more impressive because each song was recorded live in one take, as they wanted a more natural-sounding album without click tracks. This really comes through as the album itself feels very organic and intimate. They also wanted to expand their sound with unconventional rhythms and experimental song structures. This was all achieved while retaining the genre’s signature slow, churning motion, with some fast-paced guitar work thrown in to change things up.
These unconventional arrangements and melodies come to the forefront in “Chosen.” The song begins with an almost cowboy-esque string of notes, with Tim Harbour’s vocal range also on show. They switch things up in the middle and have him almost narrate rather than sing the one verse. These choices keep things fresh throughout the album and allow listeners to lose themselves in the dark, dingy world they have built.
“Godforsaken (The Pact)” is also an interesting thematic piece, as it appears to explore a pact made with a demon or devil. This individual has done so to exact revenge on someone who has wronged them. “Left to Rot” is just as sombre, as it paints a picture of a wasteland of not only the landscape, but of the body itself – “The body was a mess. Festering and putrid.” A very bleak message, as Tim echoes a shout, “Begone,” continuing with how there is no hope and no respite. The guitar becomes quieter, softer, with a trickling of notes that gets smashed to pieces soon after.
This album is ultimately a collection of vivid, visceral short stories, each with its own message of doom and gloom. Mad God takes things a step further by using the stoner/doom metal genre as the vehicle for telling them, which makes for a fascinating, in-depth experience. The overall length then gives listeners plenty of time to sit with and be absorbed by their textured and weighty sound. If you are looking for a moment to step away from things and just get lost in another world, then this is the album for you.
