Band:	Æthĕrĭa Conscĭentĭa
Album:	The Blossoming
Style:	Progressive black metal
Release date:	June 2024

01. Astral Choir
02. Haesperadh
03. Wrath Of The Virikoï
04. Daimu Kadasdra Ko Antall
05. Endless Cycle
06. The Blossoming

Æthĕrĭa Conscĭentĭa set out to create ‘a great 44-minute acid trip infused with science fiction, black metal and progressive rock’ on The Blossoming, and my word did they accomplish it.

Radu opened his review of Corrupted Pillars Of Vanity, the band’s previous record, with a similarly enticing synopsis (‘progressive sci-fi saxophone black metal’), and that brief-yet-complex description does apply to this latest effort, as do many of the bands namedropped as points of comparison in his review (including the likes of White Ward, Oranssi Pazuzu, Ihsahn and Enslaved). However, The Blossoming is not an album that deserves to be shackled to excessive comparisons, as it is a wild experience that's captivating all by itself.

That opening gambit in the Corrupted Pillars Of Vanity did mention an instrument that has an at-times maligned relationship with metal, but I can’t think of many bands, if any at all, that make as good use out of the saxophone as Æthĕrĭa Conscĭentĭa. Curiously, the band haven’t permanently replaced founding saxophonist Simon Chatteleyn since he left the band after recording the last record; instead, all saxophone on The Blossoming is performed by session musician Guru Pope. Despite this, the saxophone is an integral part of the album’s sound; probably the two overarching features that stand out on the record are the guitar work and the saxophone arrangements, both of which deliver fantastic solos and great motifs on pretty much every track.

Æthĕrĭa Conscĭentĭa’s sound can be condensed to ‘progressive black metal’, and when the band do turn towards a blackened approach, they don’t hold back; there are frequent outbursts of blast-heavy tremolo riffing imbued with a real heft, including a prolonged sequence in the first half of opening track “Astral Choir”. However, while their sound can and does turn dark, there is a strong melodic inclination to much of the record, and that permeates into the black metal, which veers towards blackgaze territory in the very melodic “Haesperadh”, or has a sad atmospheric black metal tinge to it in the opening to “Wrath Of The Virikoï”. Æthĕrĭa Conscĭentĭa also infuse melodic motifs into some of the heavier blackened riffs; a really intriguing example occurs partway into “Endless Cycle”, when an intense black metal riff is harmonized with an overlaid tremolo.

Despite the consistent presence of black metal, however, there’s arguably a majority of The Blossoming’s runtime that is occupied by non-blackened metal or even non-metallic sounds. Æthĕrĭa Conscĭentĭa refer to science fiction a lot when describing themselves, and are apparently crafting a sci-fi narrative through their albums, but The Blossoming sounds less celestial and more psychedelic, with frequent use of hand drums and psychedelic percussion, along with melodicism influenced by Eastern musical styles. Perhaps the epitome of this is the song “Daimu Kadasdra Ko Antall”, which features all of the above along with ethereal clean vocals from Dolorès Anapeste (one of two guest vocalists appearing on the record), and only begins to turn metallic near the end. However, “Endless Cycle” opens in similarly psychedelic manner, incorporating ominous vocal drones into the soundscape as well.

Beyond the psychedelic elements, the progressive current in Æthĕrĭa Conscĭentĭa’s music is remarkably melodic and compelling as well. Opening track “Astral Choir”, after a black metal-heavy opening first half, features a delightful second half that begins with the instrumentation pulling back and allowing the saxophone (and fellow guest vocalist Cindy Sanchez) room to shine, before gradually weaving metallic and blackened elements back into the mix; however, even as it turns more extreme, they keep a hold on the melodic charm of this passage to excellent effect. “Haesperadh” is generally very inclined towards the band’s melodic side, even incorporating some post-rock shimmers, and the playfulness of the track, especially with the guitar and saxophone solos, is truly delightful.

With a lot of The Blossoming leaning towards melodic progression or blackened aggression, perhaps the most remarkable portion in the album arrives in the closing title track. Around the 5-minute mark, that aforementioned sci-fi flavour finally starts to appear courtesy of some ominous electronics, but more striking is when both guest vocalists reappear together on this song, and instead of creating gentle, ethereal sounds, they opt for an eerie, offputting approach, which is accentuated by the psychedelic percussion and odd guitar soundscapes. It sets an unexpectedly peculiar tone, and it pays off really well when Æthĕrĭa Conscĭentĭa start weaving everything back into the equation for the final climax, from metallic guitars and harsh vocals, to the sustained clean vocals and a really unorthodox lead guitar motif. It’s a very unexpected but very effective way to conclude the record.

Æthĕrĭa Conscĭentĭa released one of the most intriguing progressive metal albums of 2021, and they’ve now done the same in 2024, and may even have improved upon what was already a fascinating and very well-implemented formula. The Blossoming is a really enjoyable record, and one of my highlights from the first half of 2024.