A brand new entity, Dkharmakhaoz, the Belarusian duo of He (all instruments) and She (vocals) combine the 90’s black metal with synthwave (or Sith-wave) and industrial, a fusion with works as much as it doesn’t resulting in a very experimental but uneven affair on their debut album.

Where "Proclamation Of The Black Suns" works is in those places dominated by aggressive apocalyptic black such as in the opening "The Cycle Ov Omega" which is vaguely "Filth Pig" Ministry in the more industrial moments, in the catchier and monumentally melodic, somewhat Depeche Mode-ic aNILEator "The Way With The Serpent Entwined" or the closing djenty Meshugga-ic "Reu Nu Pert Em Hru". She-vocals, or more grammatically correct, Her vocals point clearly to Angela Nathalie Gossow (ex-Arch Enemy) and tend to be one-dimensional although they are exceptions, such as the cleans in "Ascension". Dharmakhaoz can get quite melodic, most notably on the "In The Night’s Requiem Infernal" Novembers Doom-y "Chthonic Rites Ov Fertility" or the Dimmu Borgir-ian and slower doomier Paradise Lost-ic old (guitar riffs) and new (keyboard melody) title track, but, sadly, melody is not necessarily a priority for these guys.

What does not work for me is some of the stuff on the 2nd half such as the very noisy chaotic and almost unlistenable aforementioned "Ascension" despite the aforementioned clean vocals a’la Madder Mortem’s Agnete M. Kirkevaag. I do not appreciate the stifling of melody via chaotic noise in the melodic tracks or the tendency for Gojira-ian minimalism (Beyond The Transcendental Luminescence), but I chalk all these peccadillos to the fact that these are debutants on a debut album.

Although I do not foresee further interest in Dharmakhaoz, which in my view are neither doing anything particularly captivating nor groundbreaking, I know that, to quote the renowned youtuber Mark "coverkillernation", bands can evolve, and, having that in mind I submit the favorites title track and "Chthonic Rites Ov Fertility" for your consideration and my hopeful direction for the follow up.

https://dkharmakhaoz.bandcamp.com/