Third and final chapter for Lhaäd.
After two successful opuses in 2021 and 2024, Lykormas (The Nox Entity, Entartung, Rituals of the Dead Hand, Wolven…) is back at it again with Beyond, released once more by Amor Fati Productions and Extraconscious Records.
Like its predecessors, Beyond comprises six tracks, but is slightly longer: where the other two gravitated to forty minutes, it exceeds them and totals forty-two minutes of listening time. Beyond I slowly takes us into the murky waters where a rather quiet and mysterious guitar awaits us, followed by a few murmurs that tint the sound with ominous tones before the obvious explosion, within which the vocal parts appear. The icy instrumental is complemented by a few anguished touches that allow us to drift between the majestic and increasingly intense riffs until Beyond II where it becomes heavier, weightier and above all, more terrifying. The break allows us to breathe before heading back into the abyss at a more sustained pace, benefiting from an almost incessant double pedal, but the wave of oppression is never far away, allowing itself to suffocate us again before accelerating to finally lead into Beyond III where dissonance is once again at work, reinforcing the aggressive dimension. Striking howls also contribute to this apocalyptic atmosphere, where cutting harmonics multiply, but there’s also a brief mystical lull before the hurricane hits us again on Beyond IV, which continues with coldness and impressive riffs. Lykormas‘ vocals redouble their efforts to deliver blood-curdling screams, but the track is broken in two by a more reassuring break, followed by a hellish bass/drums duet beneath which hazy notes fly in, bringing a melodic edge that we find again in the rest of the track along with some underwater noises that show us the way to Beyond V, which brings pure anguish back thanks to heady disturbing tones. The sound is much darker than before, even during the most haunting passages where melodious tones appear, even incorporating plaintive moans, before surrendering again to fury but also to dreamlike tones to rally Beyond VI where the musician gives his riffs an epic dimension. The raw touch of riffs and vocals mixed with more soaring sounds is perfect to condition our minds to welcome these gloomy elements that will constitute our only moments of respite before entering the wave of pure melancholy that will haunt us until the fire crackling delivers us.
Lhaäd concludes its trilogy in style with Beyond, a magnificent final chapter that completes our journey into the abyssal depths. The project has announced that it won’t be releasing anything any time soon, but the richness of this third album will captivate us for a while.
95/100