Numen has come back to life.
Still signed to Les Acteurs de l’Ombre Productions, the Basque band led by Aritz Navarro (vocals), Eöl (keyboards/backing vocals), Jabo Numen (guitar, Cerebral Effusion), and Lander (bass/flute/alboka) has recruited Sistre (drums, Bestial Nihilism, Gotholocaust, Les Chants de Nihil) to bring to life their fifth album, Erre.
The album gets off to a strong start with the melancholy of Kez beteriko zeru penatua, the opening track with a fairly raw sound but striking melodies and vocal parts that also know how to veer into dissonance during colder passages or become more energetic and infectious, creating an interesting contrast that runs throughout the song. The vocals also evolve as the riffs progress, at times offering terrifying DSBM influences before shifting to fury on Negu itxian Urtarril hotza, the next track, where the band focuses on a mysterious atmosphere that intensifies its accelerations. We find ourselves swept up in a tide of darkness, at times quite majestic in tone, then suddenly more aggressive or, conversely, almost dreamlike, but the track quickly hands the baton over to Errautsen azken arnasa and its hypnotic acoustic intro, before the distortion returns with full force. Even if the double bass drum eventually subsides at times, the atmosphere remains quite heavy, waiting for just a spark to ignite anew and let the riffs wash over us before a final touch of gentleness, swept away by Hustasuna – Oroitzapen galduen putzua and its virulent old-school touches. We let ourselves be lulled and battered once more by the duality of the rhythm section while the vocalist gives it his all, confirming the track’s virulent edge before a long, gloomy final followed by Euria infernuko sutan, which follows suit, but which – thanks to its length – takes the time to weave its atmosphere before letting rage take over again to continue this plunge into darkness with massive surges, even offering a few epic folk-oriented sounds that will remind listeners of their early days before a slow and peaceful end.
Many will discover Numen through Erre, finding in it a gripping brand of Black Metal, at times extremely violent, at others far more atmospheric, while longtime fans will recognize a genuine evolution that began years ago and is expressed here in a deeply visceral way.
90/100
