Oneironoia is a compound word derived from Greek that can literally be translated as a dream state of consciousness: living or thinking as if one were inside a dream, or experiencing a perception of reality distorted by dreams.
Oneironoia is also a German one-man Black/Doom project, which with The Great Resignation delivers its second album straight into our hands. The album is presented in two parts, each consisting of two chapters, giving the whole work an almost literary and ritualistic structure.
Musically, The Great Resignation operates within the heaviest end of the funeral doom spectrum, infused with icy black metal elements. Slow, suffocating riffs and a crushing atmosphere dominate the soundscape, while sporadic black metal eruptions add extra tension and desolation. In this combination, the album frequently evokes associations with the early works of Finnish band Unholy, where ponderous heaviness and a claustrophobic, almost spiritual darkness went hand in hand.
The lyrics appear to be partly written in Latin, at least as far as I can discern; the remainder is in English and German. This multilingual approach enhances the album’s archaic and ritualistic character.
Mr. O is responsible for all instrumental duties, but is vocally supported by M.M. Which vocalist performs which vocal style remains unclear, further reinforcing the project’s sense of anonymity and mystique.
In the dual-vocal passages, the ritualistic character comes to the forefront even more strongly, especially through the support of immensely heavy riffs and oppressive synth layers, together creating an almost ceremonial and suffocating sonic presence. The highly effective production plays a crucial role here as well, particularly during passages that strongly recall the sound of early Necromantia.
The album is drenched in atmosphere, and the level of quality on display is remarkably high. It is therefore strange that no official physical release exists—no CD, LP, or cassette—because this album deserves such a treatment more than most. I wished that I found this album earlier because this would be on my yearlist for 2025.
90/100
Oneironoia:
Bandcamp