After a first acclaimed EP, Atræ Bilis offers us its first full-length.
Created in 2018 in Canada, the band composed of Jordan Berglund (vocals), Brendan Campbell (bass), David Stepanavicius (guitar) and Luka Govednik (drums) is ready for the release of Apexapien at 20 Buck Spin.
The band immediately strikes with Theta, a very short first song that places without delay violence, technicality and heaviness into a fast and dissonant rhythmic before vocals come back on Lore Beyond Bone. The massive howlings perfectly stick to the song’s apocalyptic ambience, that does not hesitate to use complex harmonics to this brutal rush, while more heady and airy parts drive us to By The Hierophant’s Maw, that melts the two elements. Fast-paced violence wears some worrying tones, giving a special flavor to this controlled rage, while Open The Effigy unveils a hooking groove. The song doesn’t neglect technicality, which reigns supreme into those thick and jerky riffs, but some quick respites make the band come back stronger before Bacterium Abloom and its mesmerizing dissonance. The contrast with the powerful rhythmic is as interesting as disturbing, leaving us with an melodic aggressive wall of sound, then Into The Seas Of Sepsis offers a more raw sound, concentrating rage ane heaviness while spreading as complex as unexpected patterns. The song is also very fast, leaving for the piercing Hymn Of The Flies, a crushing composition. A blast avalanche, bloody and energetic leads, but above all this massive heaviness as well as a disturbing and original vocal effect before To Entomb The Aetherworld, the last track, on which there are some Old School tones and patterns to close the album.
Once again, I was amazed by Atræ Bilis. The band can handle technicality, brutality and Old School patterns on Apexapien, without forgetting this hooking groove and those complex melodies which make their strength.
90/100