Genres like drone, post rock, and funeral doom often have incredible textures and peaks to discover for listeners but the barrier of entry can often be quite high due to their lengthy track and album lengths. For every group that cuts things down to a relatively digestible ten- or fifteen-minute song, you have those like Bell Witch that stretch things out significantly and demand a lot more focus and dedicated time. Hertfordshire, UK based Orme falls into that latter category, as their behemoth self-titled debut last year consisted of two songs, one running for forty-one minutes and the other spanning fifty-three. Their material emphasized sprawling atmosphere and periods of sparser instrumentation, coming in somewhere between Sunn O))), the more extreme variants of doom, and even some heavy psych and post rock. The band has kept quite busy since this release, putting out a split with Wreaths a few months ago and now they’re back with a shorter but still dense EP titled No Serpents, No Saviours. This EP sees Orme realizing the need for a single track that could fill a shorter live performance, and it also finds them going for a more direct and destructive root. There are still periods of softer instrumentation, but the sound here is much closer to a sprawling take on something like Windhand or Usnea.
At just over twenty-four minutes, No Serpents, No Saviours is arguably more approachable than its full-length predecessor but it still has plenty of dense riffs and little details to discover. The more direct and churning nature of the songwriting may also bring in some listeners that bounced off the debut, as right from the first few seconds you’re hit with lumbering and dirty tonality that hits hard. No Serpents, No Saviours has some natural pauses, coming through as a roughly three-act affair compiled into a single song, and the initial push and pull of the instrumentation falls somewhere between sludge and death/doom. There’s a slightly bluesy edge to the guitar leads that recall traditional doom, but the gnarly tonality and weight of the bass and drums gives things a more sinister and tense feel. It’s a familiar sound for sure, and while I initially was worried that the more singular focus of the riff and grooves at the beginning might start to get repetitive but thankfully Orme shifts gears around the six-minute mark. Here there are some sparser guitar melodies that hover over the recording with an eerie presence, but it doesn’t take long before the distortion comes roaring back in. As you make your way further into this song it becomes clear that the core groove is being used to create a loop of sorts, moving naturally between destructive and sudden drops into more contemplative arrangements, complete with some guest organ contributions from producer Wayne Adams. The more times I listened, the more I was reminded of Samothrace as well, as the way the guitar solos go a bit wild at the end has a similar feel. Admittedly it’s much more straightforward and singular focused than the full-length, but there are some different leads and interludes that stand out over time. I’d like to see Orme bridge the gap between the two styles, bringing a bit more of the psychedelia and post rock textures alongside the more destructive and sinister sludge and death/doom. But even with that being the case, this is still an EP I’ve had on repeat at a high volume for the past few days, and it hits that specific tone I look for in these genres.
Along with the grittier and darker tonality that seeps through on the recording, Orme has chosen to take a similar approach with their vocals on No Serpents, No Saviours. Upon hitting play you’re met with a quick audio sample, but it doesn’t take long for Tom Clements to come bursting in with a low, guttural growl. This is where the group leans into the extreme side of things this time around, as the growls tower over the already dense recording and have a bit more death/doom influence. During some of the softer moments there are some whispers that maintain a sense of consistent tension, but for the most part the growls dominate and Orme has a singular focus in this area of their music as well. I do miss some of the shouted/sung and use of different ranges from the debut, but each appearance from Clements is spaced out enough that it doesn’t feel repetitive. Like the instrumentation, I’d be interested in hearing Orme bridge the gap between the extremity of this EP and some of their earlier ideas, as they’re just scratching the surface.
Orme had their fair share of extremity on their debut, but the directness of the attack and brevity gives No Serpents, No Saviours a noticeably different feel. There remains some minimalism and atmosphere-oriented sections, but the tone is more harrowing and it doesn’t feel like you’re given much of a chance to breathe during these passages. In some ways this EP comes across like it’s going to bridge the gap between the self-titled and a future full-length, and I’m excited to hear how the differing directions come together down the road. But there’s still plenty to like about No Serpents, No Saviours on its own and if you’re looking for some thick, dirty riffs and intense vocals Orme’s got you covered.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg