While I dare not look upon the normal notions of doom metal as anything worthy of being looked down upon, it can certainly be said that sometimes the themes of it and its contemporaries don’t branch out to discover new realms nearly often enough. A little bit of exploration can go a long way, and you only need one artist to make it happen. A little bit of out-of-the-box thinking can make a world of difference. Armed with a deeply Buddhist mindset, it’s throughout its many works that Dhyana taps into a meditative side of ultimate heaviness. With the effort of “Mu”, this is something that stands out as particularly interesting to me.

It’s a fascinating thing to see an artist remain constantly active over the years and still manage to deliver magnificence in many forms virtually without compromise to the artistic vision. At some point, you would normally expect some sort of deviation from that original concept or even a dip when quality comes into the conversation, yet it’s because of bands like Dhyana that we’re continuously kept on our toes as names like this simply defy expectations time after time. Throughout the whole of “Mu”, we’re given an instrumental guidance through the very concept of “nothingness” or “no thing” with the sheer intensity and meditative nature of the record making damn sure that the themes of the work bleed through every given minute. Through the closeness of the suffocating bass and thunderous drums, “Mu” is a captivating work that is delivered via a tempered pacing that allows you to really expand on the teachings Dhyana puts before you. Every movement has a purpose. Every note brings you one step closer towards the ultimate goal of enlightenment. It’s in each voiceless minute that I am fascinated how effective such an uncompromising sound can allow such contemplative themes to come across in an exquisite form.

Dhyana has put out three albums in 2025 alone with “Mu” not even being the most recent, yet it’s because of its execution and the themes of its very title that this work stands out in a line of undeniably interesting creations. Thematically, sonically, and creatively, Dhyana is a work of sludgy doom that is not to be underestimated for it’s in between the space of intense heaviness that salvation lies for those seeking to learn from these teachings.

LISTEN to “Mu” on Bandcamp here.

FOLLOW Dhyana on Instagram here.