This is a prism of unlight. A ruthless, demonic plunge into the cold arms of death, told by the blackest of scribes and channeled through an unhallowed wavelength that makes most black metal bands shiver in fear. The obsession with anything outre is not exactly a novelty in the metal scene, but occasionally it will assume a much more complex and nuanced dimension owing to musicians who insist on addressing such topics with utmost maturity and profundity. As caustic and demonic as anything released this year "Esoterica" is an unstoppable mass of swirling black carnage that is immediately haunting and intense. Numerous bands have created albums based around their own ideas that take insight from creative writing, but few bands will dedicate the entire span of an album to the relevant interpretation of the belief With the emergence and escalation of the novel and notorious tendency. Spawning from the depths of Occultism, Philosophy, Chaos, Paganism, Knowledge, Witchcraft, Esoteric Literature is the newest record from orthodox black metal trio Automb - Esoterica. Automb this Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania based US group married the ritualistic fury of esoteric, occult black metal with a creeping dose of mystical, ominous, sinister madness. The atmosphere and tightly plotted albums were based on mystical, occult, incantation while still employing their own take on black metal.
On this year Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania based US black metallers Automb Unveiled their debut full-length opus on this year entitled “Esoterica” via Satanath Records label with 43:11 min running time with pure horror enthroned, along with hellish,skin-ripping, bleak, shadow-cloaked, blood-freezing artistry which is an invocation of the highest order. This new album consists of 10 tracks. Automb was formed in 2017. This band consists with Ex-Necrophagia, Annihilated, Morbid Angel, Ex- Abysmal Dawn, Ex - Havok member. Now I am straight going to the point about this new album.
When at first checked out their manifestation I was overwhelmed and the track sounds so authentic, ferocious, mature from then I was clinched that I have to check this whole material for sure and this would be a savage beast. Automb delivers distinctly experimental, atmospherically evil, vivid, horrifying, melodic form of black metal. This bands each and every musician did a fantastic job on this album in a radiant way and It’s really great when your high hopes are not misplaced. This whole album reflects the grand diversity of sound brought together on this album. It is really not easy to describe their musical style. A natural synthesis of dissonant sounds and disparate styles all combined in one bold, enlightened display of unbound creativity Despite the often crushing,fast ,furious,cacophonous black metal assaults with a lots of segments of slower tempo too where Automb combines an atmospheric, mysterious, introspective passages with cavernous drum thrashes, melodic guitars and those effective rasps. The raw and obscure line is meticulously preserved while more current elements are inserted without compromising the quality and the old school line.
well, their latest incantations opening track is “Esoterica”. This track starts with Shiva mantra chanting and whispering Quickly their quasi-opener "Horned God" song returns to the sonic assailment and the musical style transformed into a massive, fast-paced, whirlwind of guitar noise, vivid black metal assaults laced with aggression, deliberate cadence, and progression seasonings. The layered tapestry of the duo-tonal whirlwind of guitar noise supporting the likewise vocals large voice drown a bit in the almost unhuman-like drumming, although this evolves to a more dynamic sound on the rest of the album. Their whole composition and musical style are impeccable also borrow great atmosphere with sour, dissonant riffs work. When guitar solos and leads are utilized they are done in a very modern, melodic and atmospheric fashion while the songs include a great mixture of slow, mid paced and fast parts along with the riffs also bringing a great amount of melody.
This new album whole compositions extremely filthy and unsettling piece of sinister, grim euphoria and unearthly ambiance. “Esoterica” commences chronologically invigorating and destructive. Their distinct entity infused me by a lot. Their musical style has a quite soft and smooth edge in the synth playing which adds to the more atmospheric, unique kind of black metal but at the same time, her vocals and other parts of the riffing are straightforward brutal, ferocious simultaneously. Honestly, after a multiple listen this album just blew me away with their ethereal abyss,multi-dimensional, the multi-layered, ominous musical style. Each musician have exudes tremendous, cohesive effort on this album with excellent diligence and nailed it. Automb really does the trick for the atmosphere is the overall murky, mysterious, Juxtapositions of darkness and light, the misty sound that comes from the music. I highly cite and embrace this album.
This album is filled with a slew of cadence, apocalyptic, pummeling, ominous, hellish, powerful riffs work. As well bass line up is whopping, intense, strong, rumbling, slithering. Drumming, the percussion line up is bleak, frantic, solid, clattering and powerful. The guitars are solely focused on creating a grandiose atmosphere but predominantly rely on walls of sound and swerving rhythms. In each track morbidly delicious, macabre, soaring, dark eerie, ghastly riffs, bass lineups matched in a good manner. This whole albums sound deliver a dissonant, grim feeling, sinister, melancholic, gruesome black metal with raw emotion and pure energy. “Esoterica” endures beauty of black metal. This album indulges strong songwriting and brilliant musicianship. This album has a hypnotic effect on the listener. Vocals decently large voice that does well for Automb. Especially her menacing and hoarse voice are excellent. Vocals howling scream, immense, deep rasps voice emerged on this album in a good manner adds a thick murky sound and intertwined perfectly with their utterly spellbinding, obtuse, bizarrely arrogant, mysterious, fully blistering black metal, distant musical style with a lot of melodic, atmospheric accompaniment and embedded perfectly. Their sound, the musicianship is absolute prime, with every song unleashing a seething torrent of scalding dissonance and insidious melody, scorching distortion, and barbaric, blasphemous invective, all of which combine to produce an overarching atmosphere of creeping, crippling dread. Overall you will get sinister, gloomy, desolate, mysterious, melodic ambient from this whole album. I really worship this band.
Each song has an energy, fluency and draws a savage landscape. Stand out tracks are all of them. Every song, every hellish, skin-stripping riff, and vile vocal incantation is delivered with the righteous fury and unwavering conviction of the true believer. The vision of the album cover is Pretty neat, solid, atrocious, grisly, macabre, gorgeously hideous. Overall “Esoterica” whole album is Spectacular, engrossing, significant and goes all the way through with a relentless rage from the beginning. The sound has a depth to it, that with brief distortion. This album sounds so authentic and a truly remarkable sonic journey from beginning to end. Indeed this album is such a true gem of this year. The production is absolutely impeccable, capable of handling both the massive atmospheric and gargantuan heft. Outstanding another one release of this year so far .“Esoterica” is shattering culmination in black metal evolution. The US bruisers still possess all the necessary skills and hard-won experience to put younger, newcomer challengers in their place. With "Esoterica", Automb writes another chapter in their book of successive masterpieces. If you looking for something different, epic this album will take you on a sophisticated and weighty black metal journey into another universe where music has the power to transcend the spoken word.
My Rating – 4.9/5 Review done by - Souvik Basu. Published on 10/12/2018
