This Canadian band’s debut, “The Aura” hit me like a freight train when it hit my review pile in 2012 even though it had been released in 2011 by PRC Music. The version I had was a self released effort that was then subsequently picked up by Season Of Mist for a CD distribution and Blood Music for their rather exquisite marbled green vinyl version which I am happy to boast that I own. Unsurprisingly the Canadian technical virtuosos have stayed with the French based label and fittingly so for their second effort.
The debut was being sold on its overt technicality and playing skills that cannot be overstated and set the bar extremely high for the band for their sophomore. Quite how you top an already blisteringly complex death metal album that literally besets you from the start with wave after wave of utter demented musical acrobatics must be quite terrifying but these Canadians have creativity and skill in unlimited quantities it seems, for the moment anyway. Bands that purport to play 7 or even 8 string guitars had better be good; balance that with a six string fretless bassist and a drummer whose kit must rival Flo Mounier then you have the formula for a band that is likely to tear your ears apart with technical wizardry and bore you to death or one that can capture each instruments own nuances into enthralling complex death metal. Likely to be compared to Necrophagist, Deeds Of Flesh, Cryptopsy I’d say those comparisons are justified but this outfit stretches everything you thought was safe in technical metal overall into a myriad of directions in musical diversification.
Opening with “Elusive Reverence” you are thrust head first into a bombarding set of arrangements that by the time the tune has finished you’ll be thinking what the hell was that, and probably have to start again and get your mindset evolved into their way of playing music. This is not easy music to listen to by any means and that’s how it should be, if I want to be battered to a pulp I’ll play Cannibal Corpse, Bolt Thrower, etc but this release has deft touches of fused jazz like elements (you’re screaming Cynic now I know) which are nothing new but when you get a song like “Sous La Lueur De L’Empereur” (In The Glow Of The Emperor I think it translates to) those fusion elements are cemented by acoustic breaks and ear juddering cadence changes all under pinned by a fearsome rhythm section particularly by Dominic ‘Forest’ Lapointe’s bass work which is just unreservedly sublime and continues into the title track. At this point I couldn’t help but think about Aghora, due to the way the song envelops the listener with a tapestry of sounds emanating from all quarters of the instrumentation.
The gentle snare roll and semi acoustic start to “Neurotical Transmission” has a lunging bass line before the guitar riffs and a wondrous lead are introduced. Weaving the intricate guitar work and multifaceted arrangements has been done to form a seamless canvas of sounds that you can marinade yourself within. At times its easy to forget that this album has vocals and in some respects they are secondary to the music but add yet more sonic colour to this highly decorative release, though I did really enjoy “Abstrait Dialog” which offers something maybe a little more strait laced, for this band anyway. “The Axiom” displays the substantial drumming talents Philippe Boucher who joined the band in 2012 and demonstrates a flair to naturally bond with the guitar work of Simon Girard and Kevin Chartré the former also unleashes his larynx here too, with changes of tone from growling thunder to snarling venom throughout.
This album is one to sit down and completely immerse yourself within its delicious musicianship and flamboyant song writing. This album and band equates as a death metal Rush for me; the ability is astounding and this band should be heading to your CD player and turntable as soon as it is released as you will be wholly gripped and then you’ll go back and buy the debut as this band is that good and some. Now all that remains is for a live show for me so I can watch them play.
(9.5/10 Martin Harris)
28/10/2014 at 7:05 pm
Don’t worry man, if you have the chance to attend one of their shows, you won’t be disappointed, trust me.
Nice review man !