Review: Endless Chasm & Dosis Letalis – Channeling Fire (Big Pharma, Jan 5)

The dynamic movement of “Inner Fire,” the first of the two tracks on Channeling Fire, reminds me of the Shepard tone, a combination of sine waves of varying octaves that creates the illusion of perpetual tonal ascent despite the wave never actually changing. The wall is an impeccably crafted slab of crunching noise, droning electronics, and other more subtle sounds that always seem to building toward some impressive climax. But other than the crescendo at the beginning of the piece, nothing ever changes, and this seemingly paradoxical coexistence of motion and stagnancy is what makes Channeling Fire so enthralling. “Inner Fire,” despite being backed by a considerable amount of energy, is the smoldering embers that lights the inferno of “Inner Void.” The initial blast of this second piece is so punishingly cathartic, cleansing all extraneous thoughts and forcing you to focus on its monolithic construction, which reveals itself to be just as, if not more, lush and detailed as “Inner Fire.” Pretty much everything about Channeling Fire is amazing, but on my first few listens, it was the structure that stood out to me. These two pieces and the way they’re constructed could not be a better fit.