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Esoteric - A Pyrrhic Existence



8.2 | 110 votes |
Release date: 8 November 2019
Style: Funeral doom metal, Psychedelic doom metal

Owners:

67 have it
4 want it


Disc I
01. Descent
02. Rotting In Dereliction
03. Antim Yatra

Disc II
01. Consuming Lies
02. Culmination
03. Sick And Tired

The Best Extreme Doom Metal Album Of 2019

Staff review by
Auntie Sahar
Rating:
N/A
A Pyrrhic Existence was released on November 8 of last year. It is now January 15. I guess that's how long it takes me to fully digest an Esoteric album.

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published 15.01.2020 | Comments (18)

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Comments page 2 / 2

Comments: 48   Visited by: 423 users
19.11.2019 - 20:09
Rating: 9
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
Written by mz on 19.11.2019 at 14:27

tMV was an achievement that most bands cant even dream of having. It really did set the bar too high. I dont blame them if they cant produce something that is as great.
I checked the first song of this album and it was great. However, I dont think I'm in mood for the rest of the album yet.

No argument there. I'm thankful for albums like TMV as they've essentially changed the landscape of my opinions of music. It's bittersweet in that so much else fails to meet that level, but at least I know that level exists and I get to hear it whenever I want.

This one is a bit more tricky but the oozing psychedelic vibe makes it easier to digest despite its length. Still, as you say, something you have to be in the right mindset for, but when you're in the right frame of mind, it seems perfect.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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19.11.2019 - 22:31
Maco
Pvt Funderground
This is everything I expected from them. Bow to the mighty.
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Crackhead Megadeth reigns supreme.
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20.11.2019 - 04:02
Rating: 10
Himedal

Well, what can I say?
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What goes by is life to be taken
The doom calls upon the forsaken
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20.11.2019 - 09:25
Rating: 9
Cynic Metalhead
Paisa Vich Nasha
Written by Troy Killjoy on 19.11.2019 at 20:09

Written by mz on 19.11.2019 at 14:27

tMV was an achievement that most bands cant even dream of having. It really did set the bar too high. I dont blame them if they cant produce something that is as great.
I checked the first song of this album and it was great. However, I dont think I'm in mood for the rest of the album yet.

something you have to be in the right mindset for, but when you're in the right frame of mind, it seems perfect.


For me, it seems perfect in any right frame of mind. So much so that, it will compel me to give it a 10.

Perfect record.
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20.11.2019 - 10:05
Daniell
_爱情_
Written by Cynic Metalhead on 20.11.2019 at 09:25

For me, it seems perfect in any right frame of mind. So much so that, it will compel me to give it a 10.

Perfect record.


Aaaaand you gave it a 9.
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21.11.2019 - 08:12
Rating: 9
Lord Slothrop

So. Fucking. Good.
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30.11.2019 - 11:40
LuciferOfGayness
Account deleted
- The length, Its ok to have in the background but if I am actively listening to this album its too long and bloated and the interesting parts are too spread.
- It seems they have established the esoteric sound, the experiments that in the past led to this sound has stopped. I dont think I have found a part on this album that surprised me or just wasnt better done on the past albums.
- Is it a bit less extreme? I am getting a psychelic rock vibe at times and mayvbe they should be moved to regular doom for any awards. I dont think length itself justifies the extreme tag and I dont think much here is challenging besides the length.

+Its Esoteric, its one of the established bands that I like. So I guess its one of the better albums this year despite being a bit of a disappointment.
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30.11.2019 - 12:24
Zap
Guest
Written by Guest on 30.11.2019 at 11:40

- Is it a bit less extreme?

I actually find it more extreme/heavier than Paragon Of Dissonance which had more melodic guitar solos over the heavy sections and a lot of softer, floaty moments that were reminiscent of post-metal. Here the soft moments seem to take more of a psychedelic direction (it kind of depends on where you draw the line) in line with pre-PoD works, while the heavier sections go all out for the most part.
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30.11.2019 - 12:44
LuciferOfGayness
Account deleted
Written by Zap on 30.11.2019 at 12:24

Written by Guest on 30.11.2019 at 11:40

- Is it a bit less extreme?

I actually find it more extreme/heavier than Paragon Of Dissonance which had more melodic guitar solos over the heavy sections and a lot of softer, floaty moments that were reminiscent of post-metal. Here the soft moments seem to take more of a psychedelic direction (it kind of depends on where you draw the line) in line with pre-PoD works, while the heavier sections go all out for the most part.

Yeah, there are some soft posty moments on PoD but they were so damn good so they are clearly excused. Havent listened to PoD in a while but I remember it as being a bit more downtuned as a whole which made the contrast between soft and heavier parts a bit wider. My guess is that they couldnt find those killer melodies that PoD has and filled it with these floaty psychedelic parts instead which is ashame as those melodic softer parts on PoD are a highlight. My overall guess is that, even if its hard to measure, this album is a bit less downtuned overall and maybe a bit faster too, hard to know.
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30.11.2019 - 14:30
Zap
Guest
Written by Guest on 30.11.2019 at 12:44

Yeah, there are some soft posty moments on PoD but they were so damn good so they are clearly excused.

Can't argue that
Quote:

Havent listened to PoD in a while but I remember it as being a bit more downtuned as a whole which made the contrast between soft and heavier parts a bit wider.

If my ears are to be believed they're playing in the same tuning so can't say I know what you mean here. However, I do agree there was a wider contrast between soft and heavy on PoD, although I guess I don't interpret that in the same sense as you. My take is that the softer moments are less melodic and the heavier parts are more melodic.
Quote:

My guess is that they couldnt find those killer melodies that PoD has and filled it with these floaty psychedelic parts instead which is ashame as those melodic softer parts on PoD are a highlight.

I think I know what you mean here, but I like those parts on this album, although I do agree the melodic parts on PoD are a highlight. I'm glad they didn't make PoD part 2 and just did things slightly different.
Quote:

My overall guess is that, even if its hard to measure, this album is a bit less downtuned overall and maybe a bit faster too, hard to know.

Again, not hearing the less downtuned part, but overall it might indeed be a bit faster. I certainly think there is more variation in tempo (and more chuggy bits) than on the previous album. Nothing new for this band, I agree with you there, but they dropped some of the elements from PoD and went back to some of the stuff from before that album.
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03.12.2019 - 20:28
Rating: 8
Reaper_Redeemer

Enjoyed that, especially the first disc. It was like I wanted to listen to Esoteric that bad. It came like a cure.
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18.03.2020 - 03:16
Rating: 8
tintinb

The distortion in this album is highly uneven. The first song is truly the magnum opus. It has so many segments and they just seamlessly blend into one another.That is true for the whole album too. The album is full of sudden changes. The last track tries to lift spirits a little bit but soon enters into that dark dismay that this album is. However owing to the genre specific limitations this album does tend to get boring after some time.

BTW the third track, instrumental, "Antim Jatra" is so named after the Hindi phrase, "Antim Jatra", which roughly translates to the penultimate travel. It is when the deadbody is taken to the funeral pyre, traditionally on people's (neighbour's and relative's) soulders. Very apt for a funeral doom metal album.
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Leeches everywhere.
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18.03.2020 - 05:27
Rating: 9
Cynic Metalhead
Paisa Vich Nasha
Written by tintinb on 18.03.2020 at 03:16

"Antim Jatra"


Antim Yatra, not Jatra.
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18.03.2020 - 05:44
Rating: 8
tintinb

Lols, apologies. Bong tourettes acting up.
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Leeches everywhere.
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07.05.2020 - 20:38
Rating: 9
Metren
Dreadrealm
Initially I gave this an 8, but I'm changing it to a 9 now. Yet another monstrous masterwork from these guys.
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My one-man project's Bandcamp with free downloads: https://dreadrealm.bandcamp.com/
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16.08.2020 - 07:04
Rating: 9
Troy Killjoy
perfunctionist
I just ordered one of the last three turquoise vinyl copies from Bandcamp. Hopefully covid fuckery doesn't delay the shipping for too long.
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"Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something."
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29.09.2021 - 16:41
Stormm

Written by Zap on 30.11.2019 at 12:24

Written by Guest on 30.11.2019 at 11:40

- Is it a bit less extreme?

I actually find it more extreme/heavier than Paragon Of Dissonance which had more melodic guitar solos over the heavy sections and a lot of softer, floaty moments that were reminiscent of post-metal. Here the soft moments seem to take more of a psychedelic direction (it kind of depends on where you draw the line) in line with pre-PoD works, while the heavier sections go all out for the most part.


Less extreme? Nonsense! How can it be less extreme if you've got from very beginning in the way 27:40 long monstrosity called Descent? Even first 10 minutes are darker than black matter. It's even heavier load than Circle. Comparable more maybe with something from their debut. Like Bereft or Awaiting My Death. But it's still different.
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29.09.2021 - 18:09
Zap
Guest
Written by Stormm on 29.09.2021 at 16:41



Less extreme? Nonsense! How can it be less extreme if you've got from very beginning in the way 27:40 long monstrosity called Descent? Even first 10 minutes are darker than black matter. It's even heavier load than Circle. Comparable more maybe with something from their debut. Like Bereft or Awaiting My Death. But it's still different.

Agreed, they don't take long to crush you on this release.
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