Numeron unveils itself with a new album.
Created in Indonesia in 2020 by Agatha (drums) and Galih (guitar), the band claiming a Atmospheric Black Metal with Blackgaze influences is completed with Ayok (bass) and Lufti (vocals), releasing a first album in 2021. In 2023, they announced the release of Road to Valhalla on Tragedy Productions and Meuse Music Records.
Light Upon the Ground, the first track, begins by enchanting us with light and soothing tones before letting Black Metal roots hit along with ghostly screams. Blasts and frantic riffs give way to soaring harmonics at times, before returning to saturation for a heady mix leading us to Blood In My Vein, a composition which is immediately anchored in sharper and more visceral sounds. Vocals sometimes fade away to give us an ethereal atmosphere, complemented by the softer airy leads, creating a mystical contrast which is found on the short Believer and its marked strikes. The solid basis also lets dissonant tones anchor in raw sounds where screams come to life, but the break will bring more modern elements before letting a rather melodic and soft Black Metal lead us to Noise of Dystopia and its heavy tones, accompanied by Max Sysoev (Grima, Ultar, Second to Sun). Scathing leads develop the oppressive approach while the aggressive rhythmic gradually buries us before letting the curtain of melancholic darkness slowly fade away before Valhalla, which welcomes us with soft tones, quickly erased by the combo’s burning rage. Shoegaze influences come again to calm the dark wave by adding more airy tones to open the way to Lustre, which stands out with its very Old School and catchy approach to dark melodies. Some light harmonics also shade the oppressive and bleak veil under which the vocalist is unleashed, punctuating the surge with piercing screams before Epifora lets dissonance invade its haunting melodies, closing the album with a slower approach to its ocean of intoxicating and penetrating darkness.
Numeron has transformed Old School Post-Black sounds into a soothing smoothness, strengthening the more intense parts. Road to Valhalla is a spiritual adventure as well as a high level musical work.
90/100