Schammasch - Contradiction

Schammasch formed in 2009 from the ashes Totenwinter. "Contradiction" is their second album and it's a mammoth album! Spanned over two disks and nearly an hour and a half long it's a long ride but one totally worth taking. Describing the sound is slightly tricky, while comparisons to Behemoth are being flung around I'd say image wise yes but that's about it, while Behemoth attack the listener with their onslaught Schammasch, like a snake crawl up behind their prey and bite them. Then sit and wait for the venom to take hold! It's sounds contrived but when a the average song length is around 10 minutes (including a 20 minute epic that closes the album) and time just passes without you noticing then you know you've come across something special.

Musically Schammasch have more in common with Triptykon or Neurosis then your average black metal band or Agalloch maybe come to think of it. Each track starts off quiet and builds to a climax towards the end. 'Split My Tongue' going back to the earlier snake analogy builds up before 5 minutes into the song kicking into a blastbeat! It's awesome. 'The Inner World' is a highlight and is probably a bit more black metal in a traditional sense and the beautiful 'Serpent Silence' is breathtaking.

To describe a whole album at this length and density is a bit impossible and at the same time if I could it wouldn't be worth listening too. All I can say is it's a long, dark journey into the abyss. If your a fan of Triptykon or black metal on the more progressive side it's well worth checking this out. It will take time to fully digest but it's a rewarding experience. Maybe take in two tracks at a time at first but it's well worth taking time to yourself to sit alone or maybe a long drive and take the album in fully in one take. In that sense it's similar to Iron Maiden's misunderstood masterpiece "The X Factor". It's the sound of an individual going to the deepest parts of their psyche and back again and finding... well if your still reading then I think you know what you need to do!


1. Contradiction
2. Split My Tongue
3. Provoking Spiritual Collapse
4. Until Our Poison Devours Us
5. Crown
6. The Inner World
7. Serpent Silence
8. Golden Light
9. Jhwh