Brown Jenkins’ Death Obsession is a blessing and a curse, as all good posthumous releases prove to be. On one hand, we’re given something unique, mesmerizing even. And it fills us with joy. Or in this case a more peculiar feeling, the likes of which can only be triggered by such a doomy mix of black metal. And on the other, it is rather painful knowing the wax will melt, the candle will fade and what was once a vibrant glow will become something else, maybe something too familiar. Nonetheless, if it were destined that Brown Jenkins were to produce just two full-lengths, I am glad the band ended its relatively brief career with this one.

Enveloping this release like a series of stubborn vines is the strange sense of melody this Texan duo conjures. Opener “Breathless” is like college rock on acid; bouncy, but like being on a rollercoaster with faulty tracks. “Lifetaker” is ominous but one senses its author or authors have accepted their fate. There’s an unexpected peace in that. “Bluebird” and its strumming pace are hypnotic. All of this is to say that Death Obsession is quite a hellish collection of songs, its vision narrow, unfiltered. Most tracks simply fade out to make way for the next one, an organic approach befitting the album’s purist vision. While this type of aesthetic could lead other bands to sound stiff or lifeless, Brown Jenkins sounds unrelentingly dedicated. It is disappointing this dedication won’t be carried to a third album, but perhaps it is best to leave on a high note.