Esoteric - A Pyrrhic Existence review
Band: | Esoteric |
Album: | A Pyrrhic Existence |
Release date: | November 2019 |
Disc I
01. Descent
02. Rotting In Dereliction
03. Antim Yatra
Disc II
01. Consuming Lies
02. Culmination
03. Sick And Tired
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.
Yes, the mighty Esoteric. Purveyors of a psychedelic brand of funeral doom that is simply unmatched within the rest of the style. It has been 8 years since their last full length, the longest gap of time between any two of their albums, but right away these Englishmen are letting listeners know that A Pyrrhic Existence was well worth the wait. The gigantic, 27 minute opener "Descent" is as big of a "welcome back, fuckfaces" type occasion as any, as the imposing five piece once more summons forth their colossal brand of well paced, ethereal melancholy. The mark isn't too far off from the band's previous material here: cascading waves of slowwwwly approaching riffs and ambiance gradually smother the listener as the compositions approach their eventual climaxes, resulting in a listening experience that, as is Esoteric's custom, highly rewards patience and numerous focused listens.
If there is are any real differences between A Pyrrhic Existence and prior Esoteric releases, they are very subtle, differences that you only really begin to grasp after multiple play throughs and rigorous cross comparison with the band's other albums. Of particular note is the fact that (at least to these ears) the music here sounds a little more abrasive, not quite as airy as the preceding Paragon Of Dissonance and a bit higher on the treble. Also whereas PoD's atmospheric moments seemed to have more in common with post metal in a way, the ambiance here is more in line with traditional psychedelia, and there appears to be a much greater utilization of synths and various other electronic effects.
The challenge of A Pyrrhic Existence is that, similar to past Esoteric releases, there is a lot to digest before tracks get to their proverbial peak. Newcomers to the band who are unaccustomed to their particular approach may find themselves listening to this album with the question of "what is really the point?" But the "point" of Esoteric's music has always been something that does not reveal itself easily. Instead it is very carefully unfurled, and one isn't quite like to "get it" after a first listen, a second listen, or maybe even a third listen. 100 minutes long with virtually no filler material whatsoever, A Pyrrhic Existence once again presents listeners with a boatload to take in, but an experience that highly pays off those eager to devote the time to unraveling its mystery. There's nothing for Esoteric to prove with this one. It's just another badge on their remarkably consistent and awe inspiring battle vest.
It's time to go to school.
| Written on 15.01.2020 by Metal Storm’s own Babalao. Comforting the disturbed and disturbing the comfortable since 2013. |
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