Origin: Annecy, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France 🇫🇷
Genre: Symphonic Black / Death Metal
The mind is a universe; one where the individual can hold ultimate authority over the cosmos one minute and fall victim to the black hole of existential dread the next. And all that lies between those two points is the stuff of nightmares that not even the beholder can bare. Psychosis comes to us all whether it manifests through the old murderous rampage or simply a strange and out-of-left-field thought of slitting your wrists and putting an end to it all. The darkest avenues of anyone’s psyche are perilous and usually well-hidden behind false conceptions of self. When said corridors of the mind are willingly explored without fear or reservation, that my friends is art in its most important form. Courageous and vital to evolution.
Deathcode Society have returned from the outermost perimeters of the galactic mind with no benefactions of hope or promises of rebirth; only acute dismay and death-worshipping black metal in the form of their forthcoming LP, “Unlightenment”. It’s creeping up from behind us by way of Osmose Productions and with all the modern bells and whistles: pristine production quality, souped-up progressions and epic compositions. The early 90’s BM curmudgeon might as well sit this one out, nothing here for you in this recording that heralds the Septicflesh, Dimmu Borgir and Warhammer styles of symphony and blackened death. Grandiosity in sound and utter indulgence in all things surreal to send you spiraling through each gauntlet of an album cut. Full choir, majestic symphonics and blackened ceremonialism as catalysts to “La Nuée” and “Scales” – suspenseful and downright horrific tracks to cast you into Deathcode Society’s maliciously realized sonic vortex of bewilderment.
The death metal vibes are palpable during some parts of the album where influences tied to bands like Cattle Decapitation and Nile are channeled. But always through the rigidity of “Unlightenment’s” straight BM backbone are they conveyed. Spidering out from the spine, in seemingly every possible direction, flashes of dynamism and a vast array of varying shifts in tempo along with frenetic compositional ebbs & flows. When compared to the gaudy output of the bands I mentioned above, “Unlightenment” is a work of balance and stability; even considering its intensity. The atmosphere is electric but never overwhelming and all phases are nicely reined in from total outlandishness by air-tight percussion: blast-beats, machine gun tom-rolls and at times martial rhythms. All symphonic and chorale elements are wisely interjected into the mix at choice intervals as opposed to bearing over the entire experience. The only drawback to the record being the total absence of melody or much else of anything that could inspire one to give it a second listen. A truly great album must call you back and “Unlightenment” is apparently mute in that regard.
Allow the murderous urges to be felt and the detachment from reality to be embraced now as you prepare for “Unlightenment” – a thriller, no-cliches kind of black metal affair that challenges perception and brings to light the hidden grotesqueries of the human mind along with the not-so-sane thoughts/compulsions that we’re all prone to as an earthly species. With “Unlightenment”, Deathcode Society boldly traverse the universe of the human psyche and all of its most perilous galaxies; manipulating their dark matter into pure mind-raping black metal. Available November 24.
7.5/10
~Jeger
