Bismuth from S/T by ORISKA

“Bismuth” is a long song, and one that sounds both vast and isolated, crushing at many levels, as Oriska seek to capture both outer and inner worlds of devastating loss through the music’s unfolding.

Deep bowed tones mourn in the song’s opening, replaced by the coiled tension of abrasive riffing, soon joined by pulverizing percussive strikes. Shattering screams pour out despair as a guitar writhes and wails in pain. Jolting jackhammer blows, boiling fretwork, and avalanche-strength drumming further escalate the music’s daunting intensity, torquing the tension toward the breaking point as screams rip away at vocal chords.

The music’s massive lo-frequency power transforms into sounds of clawing and gouging, like an earth-mover grimly plowing through bedrock, intersected by a tradeoff between humongous pounding and bursts of blaring guitars. A piercing guitar solo lividly spirals upward and convulses in a burning fever, giving the song its own most striking fever pitch.

Tracklist

5.	Bismuth	10:15

Lyrics

in a fit of despair
opened old wounds
when no one was there
bleeding out the cuts
as i, reflect and regret
a haunted past
that follows me
remorseful
in a corner of grief
time to give... time to give in....
... is this right, or is it wrong.
i'm still trying to figure this out.
it's so hard to let things go.
there is no hope for anything
i'm guilty, i'm on my knees.

Credits

from S/T, track released November 15, 2024

License