Sheepishly, I must confess ignorance to the musical activities of Anorexia Nervosa alumni since their seemingly permanent hiatus over a decade ago. It turns out that vocalist RMS Hreidmar (after giving said band the chop and causing the hiatus) has been bleating away for Glaciation, and has also joined forces with a couple of other chaps in this new project.

A short intro of storm sounds and church bells chime us into the first of four songs proper here, “Titan”. The initial salvo of melodic guitars and blasting drums delivery an atmosphere of dread which brings to mind recent French black metal projects such as Akhlys and Aoratos.

“Procession” is next up and epic as the name suggests, reflective and moody. It begins with ploddy percussion and a deliberately tremolo picked melodies setting the tone, with hints of chorus sitting low and unobtrusive in the mix. About a third of the way in Bâ’a pull the wool over our eyes with a French spoken word piece accompanied by guitar and the aforementioned subtle choir, before wind chimes see the song out.

“Des Profondeurs Je Crie” is more in keeping with established post-black metal fare, featuring urgent riffs, pummelling drums and anguished howls of despair. Bâ’a display their flair for the dramatic during the first half of this track, though it slows down halfway through for a more measured pace.

Highlight of the album for me is “Un Bucher Pour Piedestal”, a raging yet thoughtfully brooding number. At periodic intervals, the percussion and bass pause to let the guitars ring out in melancholy and the listener reflect. An untitled outro then closes the album with a foreboding, dread filled noisescape.

At times intense and cavernous, Bâ’a are dynamic enough to avoid the impenetrable gloom that plagues some bands. The vocals of Hreidmar serve to periodically drive the intensity up a notch much in the same way that they once conveyed Anorexia Nervosas symphonic urgency. A focused and convincing debut for a project that will attract the even the most “kvlt” of the black metal flock like lambs to the slaughter.

(8/10 Doogz)

https://osmoseproductions.bandcamp.com/album/deus-qui-non-mentitur