The prolific and mysterious Esoctrilihum releases a new album.
The only things we know about the project created by Asthâghul (vocals/instruments) are its birth country, France, and the support it has from I, Voidhanger Records since the very first album to Dy’th Requiem for the Serpent Telepath, the sixth and last to date.
This new album, illustrated by Slovenian artist Dhomth (Ars Magna Umbrae, Cult of Fire…), is presented under the shape of twelve songs for more than an hour and a quarter of occult, mystical, oppressive and foggy sonorities.
All the songs have some cryptic and strange names, with references that will be recognized by master Lovecraft’s fans, but the sound also follows this path. Dark, crushing and exploring wide sound universes, this album walks on the same way than the previous ones, offering an additional secret strength, composed of dark riffs, saturated vocals and seizing ambiences. Ezkikur gives us a heady hint of the riffs the band can manage to create, between soaring and piercing sonorities, as well as majestic orchestrations, but the other songs are made from the same pattern. Salhn offers oriental influences, Tyurh unveils visceral sonorities and Baahl Duthr spreads an accessible rhythmic, but it seems that the band’s sound becomes richer with each song. Agakuh offers a haunting slowness surmounted by airy sonorities, while Eginbaal reconnects with Old School and soaring tones, then Dy’th strikes us with a massive violence. Craa?nag offers an oppressive ans weighing instrumental break, then Zhai?c Daemon goes back to dark but accessible sonunds. Visceral howlings continue on Nomine?s Haa?r and its aggressive Old School rhythmic, then the sound becomes more weighing with the dark Xuiotg and its apocalyptic ambience. Backing vocals won’t ease the aggressiveness, while Hjh’at, the last composition, offers heady and stabbing accents to close the album.
Maybe you didn’t even notice, but Esoctrilihum mesmerized you. Dy’th Requiem for the Serpent Telepath increases its Black Metal intensity while offering airy, soaring and violent influences that melt in the name of mysticism.
80/100