Afraid of Destiny emerges from the shadows.
Created as a one-man-band in 2013 in Italy by Adimere (all instruments, Nocturnal Nightmare, ex-Follia Suicida), the band completed in 2023 by J.S. (bass, Abyss Noir), F.B. (drums, And Harmony Dies), D.D.T. (guitar) and R.M. (vocals, Marbas, The Bleeding) unveils Contra Omnes, its fourth album, on Talheim Records.
The album smoothly starts with Abyss, the shortest composition, which will let darkness take over while relying on melancholic and dissonant tones to welcome the plaintive grunts. Ominous orchestrations join the heavy rhythm before letting it fade away to lead us to Anti, a track mixing ethereal leads with more aggressive riffs and raw vocal parts. The mix remains as abrasive as captivating, blending its Old School influences with dark, fateful tones while allowing softer parts to create a mesmerizing contrast before blending both for the final, which is followed by Ramblin’ and its unusual spoken voice. Screams are of course never far away to complete the track’s more abrasive parts, which will alternate the different voices to pace its lament, finally letting Breathe bury us under its unfathomable darkness. Sharp and aggressive elements will join the oppression before letting quietness express itself again, but the sound soon ignites again and leaves us suffocating before Hear Me takes its place. The track allows itself some melodious Heavy accents from time to time without totally erasing the heaviest sounds to progress until this intense final, which finally lets Lullaby reveal its softness for a soothing interlude. The soaring keyboards will lead us to Requiem in Do Diesis Minore, the ultimate composition which is also the longest by far, mixing a macabre piano with orchestrations to progress until the haunting rhythmic comes to seize us. Growls will also join the march, followed by intense clean vocals and by this heartbreaking howl, then the storm of darkness explodes again, sailing between rage and macabre quietness until the majestic final part.
Whether Afraid of Destiny’s sound identity remains anchored in a striking and contrasted Atmospheric Black Metal, the band continues to evolve to offer with Contra Omnes softer, even unexpected tonalities at times.
90/100