Ershetu evolves.
After an acclaimed debut album in 2023, Void (concept/ lyrics) call on Sacr (composition/arrangements), Vindsval (vocals/guitar/bass, Blut aus Nord, Forhist) and Intza Roca (drums/percussion) to create Yomi, their second album exploring Japanese folklore, released by Debemur Morti Productions.
Ketsurui quickly introduces us to the eerie Land of the Rising Sun’s sounds before blending them with the raw power of impressive Black Metal, where howls and misty whispers are lost. The piercing leads add an epic touch to the dark but disorienting riffs that house the various bewitching vocals and choruses, before the track comes to an end to let Jikoku break through after a short, soothing introduction. The massive rhythm carries us along effortlessly while skilfully placing more joyful, heady folk touches, fueling the contrast with the majestic rage that dominates the ocean of darkness before giving way to Sekiryo with a gong and some shamisen sounds. Oppression and saturation soon resurface to envelop the composition in their heavy atmosphere, but it remains relatively soothing thanks to the traditional instruments before becoming more ominous again with Abikyokan. The saturation suddenly imposes itself and captivates us, letting out a few groans before revealing the rawer elements, then offering us a well-deserved break, only returning to the fury with this brighter and surprising approach with very few vocal parts. The finale drags on before throwing us under the dark veil of Kagutsuchi, which is immediately very aggressive yet hypnotizes us with its airy harmonics, and the track really flies by in an instant, allowing us to join Nenokatasukuni, the last composition. We’re greeted by some ritualistic percussions, but the rhythm becomes much more energetic, reminding of a sort of mad dance in which wildness and tranquility rub shoulders and answer each other in succession, welcoming waves of choirs before finally releasing us with the Asian sounds.
It’s easy to get caught up in Ershetu‘s singular universe, which effortlessly tints its Atmospheric Black Metal with folkloric touches. Fans of Japanese sounds will be delighted by Yomi, which remains very dark all the same.
90/100