Review KONGH “Dissolved in Time”

Slo-Mo experts Kongh are back. Formed in 2004, the Swedish band set out to put its own spin on doom metal and went on to release several strong albums. After Sole Creation came out in 2013, however, things grew quiet around the band as Kongh stepped away for an extended break. Thirteen years later, they have returned — and they’re making their comeback loud and intense.

For the most part, Kongh haven’t changed their musical direction. Long, heavy songs still dominate the band’s approach. Extended instrumental passages and heavily downtuned guitars build a massive wall of sound, further reinforced by a tight production. It’s the constant repetition of central motifs that gives songs like “Staining the Ether” their hypnotic character, slowly working their way into the listener’s subconscious.

As with the previous album, it’s not the number of tracks that makes an impression. Dissolved in Time contains just three songs. But those three have plenty to say.

The previously mentioned “Staining the Ether” is a nearly 20-minute riff monolith unleashed on the listener. It’s a thunderous opening that immediately grabs your attention. Founder David Johansson was the driving force behind the creation of the record, tackling most of the album largely on his own. Christian Augustin handles the drums, while Jörgen Sandström (Grave, Entombed) contributes backing vocals.

“Guided to the End” sits right in the middle of the album and is a relatively straightforward song — at least by Kongh standards. The track roars out of the speakers and its dark atmosphere delivers a serious case of goosebumps. Some passages recall more traditional Swedish doom metal, while others take on a distinctly sludgy feel. The crushing riffs tie everything together, and the song’s sheer force flattens whatever happens to be standing in its way.

After such a sonic storm, the psychedelic opening of the title track provides a well-placed counterpoint. Slow but driven by an unstoppable sense of purpose, “Dissolved in Time” gradually develops into a gloomy track powered by relentless riffs. Once again, seemingly endless repetition creates a hypnotic experience, interrupted after a few minutes by another unsettling break.

Dissolved in Time is a massive eruption of sound. It’s as if all the energy that has built up over the past 13 years suddenly erupts at once, with these songs acting as the magma relentlessly forcing its way into the listeners’ living rooms. Dissolved in Time is a convincing continuation of the Kongh story, and it will be interesting to see where this band goes from here.