LP Review: "Enemy of Duality" by Rudra

Enemy of Duality

In many of my interviews with the metal set, it's always fun to ask them about about which of the many metal sub-genres they would put themselves.

It seems like over and over again, albums show up to me with genre tags that are completely alien to me.

Today, we're enjoying some Vedic Metal.

The Vedic Period.... was apparently a very big deal in Hinduism.

The Vedic Era began over 3500 years ago in 1500 BCE when cultural mores, traditions, customs, etc all began to take shape in Northern India.

For more, and hopefully better information, click on the link I stuck in there. As for what is Vedic Metal well that's a slightly more difficult question isn't it?

The easiest way to consider it would be an Indian version of Pagan Metal.

Rudra

What quickly stands out to me, is that this band is from Singapore, but they pay homage with their music to Hinduism and India.

Rudra is the name of the god of Storms and Disease which is a form of Shiva. (If my info is accurate!)

At a cursory glance, Enemy of Duality is lush with a brand of technically proficient black metal.

This proficiency even extends to the vocals which is typically where black metal fails me personally, but Rudra features far more emotive vocals than standard black metal.

From there on out, like Pagan Metal or Folk Metal, we are entreated to a series of interludes of classical Indian music.

These come in the form of flutes, vocals, and other instruments I cannot place. As interesting and inviting as these interludes are, it can be unequivocally said that Rudra's music would be spectacular without it.

In short, the Indian passages are the sugar frosting on your birthday cake.

Enemy of Duality is a very big, loud, and aggressive album that certainly lives up to the band's name.

Release: 12/17/16
Genre: Vedic Metal
Label: Transcending Obscurity
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