Darkness descends on Australia with Faustian.
Following a self-released debut album in 2023, Sam Bean (vocals, The Antichrist Imperium, The Berzerker, The Senseless), Matt Wilcock (guitar, Abramelin, The Amenta, The Antichrist Imperium, The Berzerker), and David Haley (drums, Abramelin, Psycroptic, Ruins, The Amenta, ex-Pestilence) – all members of Werewolves – are teaming up with Apocalyptic Witchcraft Recordings for the release of their second album, Parable of the Sewer.
I Curse You kicks off with a bang and plunges us into the heart of a frenzied rush with an ominous Black Metal vibe, yet the tracks manage to remain melodic and captivating while maintaining a relentless, breakneck pace, driven by the vocalist’s roars. There are also a few unsettling whispers that skillfully complement the darkness, not hesitating to slow the pace down to lead into Broken Better and its as majestic as dissonant icy touch which occasionally incorporates sharper elements. Desperate voices emerge in the background, lending the track an even heavier atmosphere before the tempo picks up again, then I Want The Ride To Begin Again takes over, delivering a striking intensity to get the train back on track. The track features a few rather cavernous passages but always returns to Immaculate and its palpable anxiety, which gives the violence a rather different flavor, one also drawn from the band’s Old School roots, even venturing into a mystical and imposing passage. We find this ritualistic atmosphere again in Cephalophore, a track that takes over and presents us with an equally grandiose approach, at times adopting martial yet epic touches that create a contrast with the quasi-religious final. We return to the hazy sound with the intense We Do Not Use Names Here, which immediately draws us in and exposes us to its visceral horror while preserving a few moments of gentleness that allow us to catch our breath and savor the intensity of the moment before returning to a heavier mix on Tenements (Only The Wicked Walk In Circles). We find here one of the most interesting contrasts, with some passages being almost surprisingly accessible while others trample us without mercy, but the track is fairly short and gives way to gentleness and then to the apocalypse on The Rot Shall Inherit The Earth, the album’s final track, which features effective, choppy riffing paired with waves of intoxicating fury that will irrevocably sweep us away into the final sample.
Faustian has nothing to learn about darkness, brilliantly mastering the secrets of legendary bands while imposing its own hypnotic, melodious style. If Parable of the Sewer isn’t on your shelves yet, it’s only because you haven’t listened to it yet.
95/100
