An Isolated Mind is the solo project of Kameron Bogges. Blending death and doom metal on a post rock backdrop, I’m Losing Myself is a record that repeatedly defies expectations. The album is being released by both I, Voidhanger Records and Vigor Deconstruct, two of my favorite avant-metal labels in the business. An Isolated Mind by both Bogges’ merits and associations is the real deal and by that account, I’m Losing Myself eagerly embraces vast sonic vistas across its nearly hour-long runtime.
With many artists, this blend would suggest a lack of direction. However, the album’s stunning seventeen-minute closer, “I’ve Lost Myself” shows that this brand of avant-garde death metal by way of doomy post rock is second nature for Bogges. He has elegantly fused daring soundscapes in order to piece together a record that transcends clear classification. As clearly evidenced on “Eternity In A Minute,” I’m Losing Myself emphasizes sonic rises and falls. Some of these shifts may be unexpected, but they all make sense in the greater context of the album. It makes for quite the musical journey.
For a record that wanders across so many genre definitions, I’m Losing Myself is a surprisingly strong release. Even as meandering horns define the albums first real track, “Afraid of Dissonance,” ferocious riffs bolster others. It’s the contrast that makes I’m Losing Myself such a compelling listen. In the space of one song, you can go from death metal ferocity to post rock exploration. Frequently, as in “Eternity In A Minute” these explorations are tinged with brooding dissonance. In some ways, this contrast and emphasis on dissonance is actually the defining aspect of the music.
This is compounded with lyrics like, “Abstract forms tear off my skin/Replace my eyes with diamonds/I regress to a polyp” as heard on the “Turritopsis Dohrnii.” It makes for a very personal record. The listener joins Bogges on a journey through his psyche, the search for peace in a chaotic world seemingly full of torment. In an era where so much eclecticism in metal seems to just be trying to one-up the last release, this is a journey that explores a man’s soul.
In many ways, this record is almost uncomfortably personal. It’s a deep look into Bogges’ psyche. The avant-garde songwriting and extended tracks don’t help either. This is very much a record for the devout metalhead with a variety of instruments and unique musical choices. Again, I’m Losing Myself is a tapestry of post rock, death metal, and doom. This is a record for those who dig the sort of stuff I, Voidhanger and Vigor Deconstruct already do. A lot of songwriting choices may seem out of left field, but as the monumental, “Pathologized Existence” shows – it all comes together in the end. I’m Losing Myself it repeatedly feels like a window into Kameron Bogges’ psyche. It is a record that comes off as unflinchingly honest, self-aware and at times incredibly sad. While it is certainly an album that might take a while to fully embrace, it is certainly worth the effort.
Score: 8.5/10
