Year of release: 2018
Label: addicted label / Robustfellow / Voron NEST / KVLT OV Ї
Rating: 7,1 / 10
The second (and the last, since the band broke up) SOOM album, as far as I can judge from my modest knowledge of the subject, might be a solid statement in the genre of junkie sludge doom metal. At least in the post-Soviet space. Compared to previous recordings, progress is heard even by a completely sober ear, while "Ніч на полонині" was also a leap forward after the boredom of the starting releases.
“Джєбарс” takes as its basis the same formula as the debut album. This is a story of a heavy drug addiction in the form of a fairy tale. However, it's mood is categorically different from "Ніч на полонині”. All humor eroded, there is no trace of lightness. Folklore aesthetics and magical fog gave way to a city stink and black, gloomy smog. Stoner elements are a thing of the past. If any remain, they greatly modified. The album's spirit seems very nihilistic and misanthropic. There is more evil vocals, which, fortunately, are not performed in the popular “BBPB” sludge style (Bastard Bassist Puke in Beard). The main vocal mass, however, remained the same as before. I must note that backing vocalists with a fundamentally different style of singing appeared on two tracks. The first is just Amorth (who played, for example, on the early DRUDKH and later ASTROFAES albums, as well as in SVYATOGOR, UNGERN, NOCTURNAL AMENTIA, M8Л8ТХ, LUCIFUGUM, KAOSOPHIA, UNDERDARK... ugh, it's nothing really), the drummer of SOOM in 2018. The second character is much more interesting - it's a rubber hen whose delightful vocals subtly resemble ICS Vortex’s work on DIMMU BORGIR's albums. I’ll try to make an interview with her somehow.
Each track on “Джєбарс” has its own character and ambition. If at the debut the music nevertheless obeyed a certain general style, then there is a desire to fit it into the theme of each composition. In this context, the finest result is demonstrated by interlude tracks, such as “Сміх дів нічних”, where you can smell the stench of wet asphalt and stale herring, accompanying the hookers at the night time. In addition, the atmosphere is enhanced by fragments of modern ambient scattered across the album, or even true techno-beats. The work of guitars, drums and bass is good. In their rumbling sounds you can find cool grooves, as they say it in USA And the riff from “Під променем тьмяним захована мрія” can make you add the whole song to your weekly playlist. Amazingly strong sound recorded in the old way, live in studio. In particularly intense moments, the drums tear off the boiler lid, and the sound begins to bubble, overflowing, but the rest is pure joy for the ears.
The mobility and variability of the album’s musical canvas are also pleasing. There are no tracks that consist from sludge tediousness exclusively. Acoustic fragments, strange post-whathefuck-metal, blast beats and other pleasures of life make themselves felt from time to time, endowing the album with an eclecticism property. I will not forget to mention two bonus tracks, whose total duration is 18 minutes. If the 12.5-minute “Наґно” perfectly matches the previous material, then "Панічна атака" (Panic Attack) in response to the name, is a completely fucked bunch of sounds and emotions, although there's still a vague shadow of common sense. Generally, “Джєбарс” is surprisingly strong work. The final rating was set based on my attitude to the genre and the accompanying junkie bullshit, but fans of this scene, perhaps, can safely add 2 points. The album was released on CD, and it looks amazing: digipack with a booklet on high quality paper, crazy conceptual art inside, the lyrics also available. Details on a video.
English (UK) 
Крыўская