Welcome to Ahasver.
For four years, Nicolas Bastide (vocals, Drawers), Mickaël André (guitar, Eryn Non Dae., ex-Zubrowska), Julien Deyres (guitar, Gorod, Grist, ex-Zubrowska), Théophile Astorga (drums, ex-Zubrowska) and Victor Minois (bass, Psykup) have been composing their project, based on the mythical character of Ahasver. Causa Sui, their first album, was released in 2022 by Lifeforce Records.
Fierce, the first track, slowly envelops us in a dissonant and quite progressive sound which borrows from Sludge and Post-Metal before welcoming mysterious vocals which regularly explodes while developing some complexity into riffs. The thick and catchy mix makes us crash to Peace, a slightly more heady track which relies on a jerky rhythmic to bring an energetic touch. Few choirs come in and mesmerize us before a furious blast takes their place, creating an important and intriguing contrast which will continue with Dust and its massive introduction. The track is mainly made of thick and aggressive riffs, but it lets clean vocals dominate over choruses, then Tales uses a very jerky saturation that gives a raw and worked aspect again. Vocals give it a peculiar atmosphere, which will continue on Wrath, a composition which perfectly bears its name. The clean voice sometimes comes to temper pure violence, feeding once again the extreme contrast cultivated by the band before Path offers us different tones, like this soft introduction or these energetic Metalcore influences. The dissonance will of course resurface, giving the catchy riffs an additional relief in company of intense choruses, then the track becomes heavier, and it gives way to Sand and its strange darkness. The track’s quietness and slowness make it disturbing, and even the small explosions of fury won’t get us out of this oppressive atmosphere until Kings, the last track, which begins with an unparalleled rage. Although there are some haunting elements fitting into the track, it remains extremely fast and violent, creating a devastating wave which will slightly calm down with progressive influences, giving way to a final vocal sample.
Ahasver builds a very contrasted universe between several influences. On a basis of Progressive Metal, Sludge and Post-Metal roots clash and meet to make Causa Sui an unpredictable and explosive album.
85/100