Riff Analysis 020 - Deathspell Omega "Chaining the Katechon"

Apologies for the pitch problems when I was playing-this was one of the first videos I started using amp sims for, which sound better than trying to record my amp, but I hadn't figured out a way to hear myself while playing when recording this (solution was eventually an ABY pedal so I could hear my amp and also send dry signal to the computer to re-amp), which, as it turns out, makes it hard to get bends just right.
I've started a Patreon! If you enjoy these videos and are feeling charitable, check it out here: / metalmusictheory
Daniel Crawford's video about ABAC riffs:
• Riff Analysis - ABAC r...
Gregory McCandless's MTO article about ABAC Additive Metric Processes:
mtosmt.org/iss...

[@RainbowAceOfSpades]

Now we need that Ad Nauseam analysis!

[@OurFreeReflections]

whole album analysis please :)

[@heavingearth9694]

Definitely

[@ckokomo808]

I’m hoping for it too!

[@呼吸-e9b]

wwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww

[@NatTheWise]

I'd love to see the breakdown of some Imperial Triumphant, Pyrrhon or As Nauseum from you!

[@thecameronator]

I second this

[@Astral_Wave]

Imperial!

[@DavidsFlute]

You are erasing that "metal is just brainless noise" stigma. Cannot praise you enough for doing this. You sir need more recognition!

[@kittavares4334]

Nah, metal doesn't need "respectable" people's approval to exist.

[@serialdrunkdriver]

People who hold an opinion that reductive and out of touch aren't worth taking seriously.

[@i_want_my_shuggah]

What the guy above said.

[@i_want_my_shuggah]

Deathspell Omega really know how to utilize bends to create broader soundscapes and give a more unique sound to their music.

[@laakasuo]

Amazing. Thank you. More please.

[@Reavan1000]

That thing called the anti-categories you mentioned is called anti-extension in logic and philosophy. It's a pretty important in the logic of contradictions or paraconsistent logic.

[@lamondsutherland4581]

You sir are a gentleman and a scholar :) This track has some of their finest riffs, amazing choice!

[@BillEco]

I'll be honest, the only thing I understood is the microtonal part. However the whole presentation made me hyped to learn about music theory and get some lessons in person once covid ends. Great video man

[@Yoopless]

I nearly requested some deathspell omega when I commented on your last video! Great work as always

[@skoigoth]

Great stuff, very insightful! Happens to be one of my favorite DsO riffs as well. You are probably already overflowing with recommendations and requests, BUT: Ved Buens Ende/Dodheimsgard and Portal riff analyses, hmm? ;) Also really looking forward to the Blood Incantation video!

[@ricardojimenez8650]

Yes, please, Portal!!!! Horror Illogium is the most innovative guitar player in extreme metal alongside Hasjarl in this century. Thank you for your channel. I recommended it to al my friends and all of them are freaking out with your aproach. Keep going!

[@tartarusdivision1054]

The first time I heard it I legit got goosebumps, in one word, the whole section, along with the clean vocals - crushing

[@undeadmach1ne]

thanks for this. interesting analysis of how the lyrical themes are related to the music/riff writing process. sometimes its hard to keep writing useful riffs/song parts without getting bored or sounding boring. taking inspiration from the lyrics or overall album concept is a great way to have some direction when you are writing album after album.

[@julitoalcazar1996]

My man, loved the video as I love DsO. Some riffs dissected from FAS, Ite Maledictum would be great! "The shrine of mad laughter", or "A chore for the lost", are pure chaos. Or even the Drought EP. All is great

[@MrGul]

YES! About time someone gave this masterpiece of an EP the proper attention and dissection that it deserves. Great work, as always! Would absolutely love to see a longer video with a complete breakdown of the entire song, but also completely understand that such an undertaking could be overwhelming.

[@Praeterita1976]

At last! Deathspell omega. Thanks for the video. As outstanding as you got me used to.

[@teslil7729]

I NEED MORE DEATHSPELL OMEGA ANALYSIS !!

[@euthanasie8017]

Someone tell Hasjarl and Chaos that they got busted! I would highly appreciate if you make a video about the bass lines and guitar arpeggios in Paracletus. Cheers!

[@YavorArseniev]

No sir, you are not Adam Neely. You have transcended him already.

[@Wingsoficarus90]

He’s way better than Adam.

[@supermot34]

Neely is way too pretentious. He's super skilled but I actually don't like any of the music he makes.

[@yousefbhacker8160]

Neely is super cringe, this channel is elite.

[@Bluetag9009]

One of my favorite riffs from one of my favorite songs. Good stuff man.

[@krzystovmrozla2866]

This analysis gave me so much pleasure! Damn, dude, I was laughing and pumping my fists at the analysis and interpretation and knowledge. Order and chaos, indeed. I have been waiting so long for some one to offer this type of analysis to the genre. Thank you.

[@Wingsoficarus90]

Your channel is awesome man. You seem to be getting more and more subscribers. Music theory is so interesting because composition comes naturally without thinking of theory much and then the theory explaining it becomes technical such as.

[@whitenoiseblackvoid148]

The fastest subscribe button hit in my life xD

[@LumenFascia]

Please do a video on Abigor !!! Judging from the depth and quality of your content, id say preferably their album TIME or Leytmotif Luzifer. or maybe even their single off the four way split. everything fractal possession onward is just such great songwriting. you definitely seem like a TIME guy though hahaha. that album is a masterpiece

[@Blackerer]

I love how DSO is one of those rare bands massaging my brain to feel wierd, but cool. How it doesnt let the resolution to come for a long time or even at all. The destabilization feeling is incredibly awesome. Yeh, its not just bands. Gyorgy Ligeti and Igor Stravinsky and many others do that as well, to step outside metal. Anyway, the funny thing about Katechon is that in the end, he does not just chain the antichrist. Antichrist has to come first, and only then the christ can come. I guess there is a queue of sorts for "coming". So in turn the protector against the antichrist also chains the christ too, while protecting against his negation. Hence the paradox of chaining the chainer.

[@Blackerer]

@Metal Music Theory interesting, when i edit my post (to fix a typo for example), a comment gets unliked by the creator. good to know for future reference. i hope you were not questioning your santity there. or given the discussed music, maybe i do :D.

[@paveantelic7876]

this video has stupidly few amount of views :( ... Phenomenal video by the way

[@theskittlesmanreloaded]

Yes. A video guitar analysis on my favorite band. YES!!!!

[@ckokomo808]

Brilliant content. As someone who doesn’t understand music theory but is planning on working on it, I find these videos fascinating. Personally, I can “hear” weird things going on and how it plays into the concepts of many of these albums (only sometimes). Understanding the theory, in my mind, only embellishes the brilliance of the many musicians out there! Thanks again!

[@i_want_my_shuggah]

Gorguts analysis! The fathers of dissonant death metal!

[@S0N-G0KU]

Your riff analysis videos are awesome, I just found your channel and I love it. Keep up the good work man !

[@abyssuserigo]

Amazing video, I have been waiting for something like this since high school haha. We need more deathspell omega videos, so many crazy compositions to analyze.

[@chrisn7972]

Hey man love your channel. Great informative videos with just the right amount of humor to entertain without distracting. When you get around to more Deathspell Omega, I would love to know WTF is going on harmonically during the climax of “Abrasive Swirling Murk”

[@thamuzino]

Yes! I’ve been waiting for this. Hopefully there will be more videos about microtonal (black) metal in the future. Maybe Jute Gyte?

[@stevesullivan8405]

Thanks so much for the time invested in these vids, Calder! We are reaping the fruits of your labors my friend. Particularly dig the analysis toward the end of the vid, it definitely brings a pulse to the theory. Happy days.

[@nicholas72611]

This channel is gonna blow tf up man. Such quality

[@Paradoxalboy82]

Great video ! If you want to dwelve even more into French weirdness, you can check out Atavisma and Acedia Mundi who do some weird and twisted riffs too

[@LegiTTxBoss]

Best band in all of metal, great video!

[@Deadcoetus]

Sound work as usual!

[@nanthilrodriguez]

Literally!

[@championsanchez1683]

Artificial brain next? Every album has amazing riffs

[@botero01]

Excellent man

[@simoneartini3302]

Daaaamn dude this is powerful Please more

[@Bennick323]

Great video as always! But now you've mentioned microtones, which means I have to ask... Have you ever heard of a black metal project called Jute Gyte? From what I understand, most of their music is almost entirely microtonal, and I would be really interested to see what you think of it. I've been listening to them a lot lately to try to push my listening boundaries. In this video, pointing to microtonality, among other elements, as the "chaotic" counterpoint to other parts of the riff seems like an easy analogy to snap into (no offense; It made perfect sense when you explained it through the lens of the themes of the music, and I did find it really interesting), but when you're forced into a corner by the majority of the composition being in microtones, how would you approach it? I'm only aware of microtones in Ben Johnston's music (thanks to Neely) as well as I believe some... Turkish guitar traditions? There's likely a lot more I'm just plain unaware of. I think it could be a fascinating topic.

[@tucker4459]

Glad I’m not the only one asking for Jute Gyte on this channel :)

[@metalmusictheory5401]

Thanks! And haha yep this is definitely "microtonal lite" analysis, and I absolutely love Jute Gyte. Will definitely do a vid about him at some point-it will be a big project I think, the theory about microtonal stuff in Western music is still very much being invented! On the topic of other microtonal stuff: you might enjoy digging a bit into spectralist composers like Saariaho, Murail, and Grisey!

[@Bennick323]

@@metalmusictheory5401 Will definitely check them out, thanks! Truth be told, I've been meaning to check out more composers, but it's a little odd for my modern, non-classical-music-adapted brain to get into because it'll be like "here's this piece... with 20 different versions by different orchestras which may have slightly different arrangements, recording setups, etc." when my brain really wants a definitive "studio" version, haha. One piece I consistently go back to though is Arvo Pärt's Tabula Rasa, especially the second movement "Silentium." I've been hoping to find others who approach that sort of sound, but I lack the vocabulary to search for them... Maybe, minimalist composition is what I'm looking for? I often see his work described that way.

[@TheR00ler]

@@Bennick323 King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard also have a microtonal album titled "Microtonal Banana". Probably the most gateway record I know of into that realm.

[@boarderking133]

Oh crap I totally forgot about jute gyte

[@vanitazazas]

Really interesting. DsO is one of the few bands that can allow bending the strings on the guitar

[@stemcellphone]

Excellent, as always!

[@TheePossumm]

Can you do some Martyr? I rarely find anyone able to tackle learning music off of Feeding the Abscess, nevermind breaking down the insane theory of what Dan Mongrain does.

[@TheGuywithaChannel]

Amazing work! There are so many good suggestions in the comments already, but they're pretty much all black metal with some death in there, so I'll also put in a general request for doom metal. I feel like doom metal has an image problem similar to black metal, only the opposite; people tend to see it as boring metal for stoners even though it often allows for things that just aren't possible with faster music.

[@metalmusictheory5401]

Agreed! I've got an article coming out soon in Metal Music Studies about Bell Witch and will do a video about it on here when it's out, and I've got a few other doom videos planned!

[@TheGuywithaChannel]

@@metalmusictheory5401 Awesome! I'll definitely have to check those out.

[@jaroslavvalasek6567]

Hey I really liked your video. Got a question, were you ever able to figure out shrine of mad laughter on a guitar? I've been struggling

[@metalmusictheory5401]

Thanks! Never tried it, might give it a shot eventually!

[@probassistNOT]

I was soooo much hoping that you'd analyse that crazy 8:23 (in the song) riff, it's been driving me insane since I've heard it

[@metalmusictheory5401]

Haha gave myself an easy one to start! Some day I'll get to the crazier stuff!

[@howardrorark]

you should check the shrine of mad laughter!

[@dongabonga6472]

Love the video! What are those books in the background? I'd love to read more about them!

[@leo00o83]

please do Pyrrhon's Statistic Singular, it's the perfect blend of chaos and technical acrobatics, to me at least

[@olfrud]

good job!

[@realoleg]

Finally

[@syhusada1130]

Amazing.

[@nihilisticinquisition7150]

Great analysis, as always! If only your guitar sound would match the quality of your content and presentation, I think statues will be build in your praise! (winkwink) Anyway, keep up the awesome work. Already looking forward to the Blood Incantation analysis!

[@metalmusictheory5401]

haha my guitar tones are the most contentious part of my videos, been tweaking a little each time to try to make everyone happy! Thanks for watching!

[@jmpsthrufyre]

Does the horizon contain Portal? Yurei?

[@TheDescendre]

Thanks...excellent

[@aeswds7575]

0:32 Does anyone know if he analyzed anymore deathspell omega? Some from fas ite would be great but the guitars are near impossible to hear while the drums blast

[@CesarVesvre]

Nice !

[@kanvolu]

7:39 yes, you are B)

[@antonioquintella8869]

please do Stabwound

[@jcalzada74]

Edge of sanity, akercocke., some time

[@dis.infectant]

Even DsO would prefer a tune up here. That said... Holding out final judgment.

[@mag1011]

Didn't see anyone else ask so I guess I will, what's the band on your shirt? Logo look sick.

[@metalmusictheory5401]

Wolves in the Throne Room!

[@SlyHikari03]

@@metalmusictheory5401 I thought it was Weakling?

[@hongyuan9912]

Please take my ❤️ \m/

[@cinnamoncoffeecake5925]

u ready for the new krallice album friday?

[@metalmusictheory5401]

So ready!

[@skooptywooop1030]

What band shirt is that 😳

[@metalmusictheory5401]

Wolves in the Throne Room!

[@skooptywooop1030]

@@metalmusictheory5401 I know that band I have listened to their albums God I'm forgetful can't recognize the freaking logo

[@JaMeshuggah]

Deep philosophical analysis.. yikes!

[@rogerc7749]

I bet your videos will be used to train AI to describe music with galaxy-brain eloquence.

[@nicolasaguilargonzalez8583]

bro why does it seems like youve been having bad toughts for years

[@aeameh]

1. Mikko Aspa's other band Clandestine Blaze has NS live members and sings songs like "Posession of Nordic Blood" and "Bloodsoil" 2. His side project Creamface is pornogrind on a label called Lolita Slavinder and the NS stuff definitely is included in DsO with titles about facist concepts like Furnaces of Palingenesia. In summation, don't promote this shit.

[@henrike5402]

not denying that aspa is a piece of shit with despicable views but im very certain they are not reflected in dsos lyrical content as he's basically a session musician

[@aeameh]

@@henrike5402 the name of their latest album is literally furnaces of palingenesia.

[@henrike5402]

@@aeameh yeah but do you think the lyrics seem pro-fascism? do you also read 1984 and come to the conclusion that orwell is a fascist?

[@bmfan]

@@aeameh No one can defend Mikko, being the edgelord he is, but if reading the lyrics to the new album makes you remotely think this is a glorification of fascism, or authoritarianism, I dunno what to say. It's rather obvious that they are condemning such behavior, and revealing the reality of this kind of authoritarian totalitarian rule. Under no circumstances would the band ever support anything said in these lyrics as something good. They are obsessed with Bataille, and transgression. The Order represents everything they vehemently hate.

[@metalmusictheory5401]

Thanks for bringing this up! I should have addressed it in the video. I absolutely condemn NS music and ideology (and, while we're at it, racism, homophobia, transphobia, classism, sexism, and bigotry of all types-not that I've heard any of those claims about DSO, but just for the record). From my research and thinking (which may be incomplete), I don't consider DSO (at least from the Chaining the Katechon middle era, which is what I know best) to be tainted with this ideology. Based on Aspa's peripheral role, the band's overall secrecy, and my interpretation of their philosophy based on lyrics etc as generally nihilist and satanist in ways that are contradictory to fascism, I don't feel any more uncomfortable listening to their music than I do most black metal (in the sense that most people in black metal are probably not many degrees of separation away from nasty people). I'm not someone who will say that metal (or music analysis) and politics should be kept separate, and the last thing I want to be is someone who makes excuses for bands with awful views, or tries to justify a band's politics based on the "quality" of their music. And maybe my thinking will change and I'll get rid of this video. But I think it benefits the scene to be detailed and critical when thinking about these sorts of links, and everyone has to make these decisions for themselves. I respect your position; for my part, right now I don't feel it's a contradiction of my values to post this video. There's some detailed discussion of this sort of thing around the new album (which does make me a little more uncomfortable than the music I talk about in this video) here, if you or anyone reading this is interested (read for the responses mostly): www.reddit.com/r/DeathspellOmega/comments/bk4n4k/the_furnaces_of_palingenesia_hopes_expectations/

[@Sephiel263]

Love your stuff but please make this your last Deathspell Omega video as well as your first. Nazi bands like them should not get promoted.

[@genericname9875]

Yeah and stop with the bands talking about violence, sex, and drugs!!!!