Consisting primarily of multi-instrumentalist Xaphan (from a multitude of Michigan legends including Summon and Masochist), Dark Psychosis has been around in one form or another since 1996, expanding to a full live line-up briefly in 2013-14. “The Edge Of Nowhere” is their third album.

The biography makes a plethora of sonic comparisons that all fail to adequately describe the sound. This is doomy blackened death metal with a raw, analogue production. Though showcasing a wide array of influences, the raspy, reverb-drenched vocals are unmistakably black metal in nature. The clarity of instruments is to be commended, as far too often in the scramble to sound authentically true grim and necro, the mix gets a bit muddy; no such issues here.

Opening track “Old Fear” sets a grim tone for the album as a doomy opening statement. Acoustic guitars, keyboards, discordant melodies and spoken word vocals feature on the title track, contrasting with the frequent shifts in velocity, ploddy riffing and ghostly howls of “Dark Call” which follows. A synth led cover of Syd Barretts “Late Night” provides more contrasting and contradicting sounds, whilst “Ominous Black” provides jingly thrashy guitars alongside the now familiar raspy vocals. “New Decay” closes the album, illustrating the necro-Floyd prog aspirations of this project, with an ominous atmospheric outro.

The CD bonus track sounds like it could have come from a completely different band (fair enough as it was recorded in 2008!), with furious thrash riffing and twin vocal attack. Again, the “bonus” GG Allin cover that closes the digital release is of a completely different vibe that doesn’t really fit.

This album reaches in so many different directions, the only real comparison I can make is to latter day Darkthrone with its raw punky thrash leanings. Though there’s much to be said for the quality of songwriting and musicianship on “The Edge Of Nowhere”, it’s just that the juxtaposition of so many different styles grates a little, and frankly the songs could have be done more justice if they’d been recorded on something better than an 80’s journalists dictaphone.

(6.5/10 Doogz)

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