There’s a self-assured air surrounding this French troupe’s slickly packaged and produced debut, appearing off the back of a promising EP that offered an all-too-short taster of their instrumental doom/stoner/post/prog adventures.
What is laudable, and noticeable within the first two by turn brazen and pensive tracks, is that the band’s voice has matured, burying obvious nods to their influences within a record with a personality of its own, but sadly, that’s where the compliments end. For an instrumental record, with two drummers, no less, the instrumentation leaves a lot to be desired.
Too often, in the slow build-ups of IMereMortal that fizzle frustratingly instead of erupting, or the chug that becomes a slog of Salvation, riffs are uninspired, sounding precise and monolithic but not leaving an impression.
Leads are largely noticeable by their absence, elevating proceedings late on in Dra Til Helvete, where finally a semblance of an atmosphere swirls into existence amidst the pristine production, but alas, too late to redeem a rather sterile affair.
