Band:	Amiensus
Album:	Reclamation: Part 2
Style:	Melodic black metal, Progressive metal
Release date:	August 2024
A review by:	AndyMetalFreak

01. Sólfarið
02. Acquiescence
03. Disconsolate
04. Decaying God Child
05. The Distance [feat. Lars Nedland]
06. Leprosarium
07. Orb Of Vanishing Light

The first part of Amiensus's reclamation was a success; can part 2 deliver the goods once more?

In early 2024, the US progressive black metal band Amiensus presented not only one of the best releases on the progressive end of black metal, but one of their most ambitious efforts to date in Reclamation: Part 1, and yes, it was only part one. Now the band return just several months later with Reclamation: Part 2; it is considerably shorter than its predecessor with a 38-minute total running time (whereas part one clocked in at over 50 minutes), but it's not the length that's important here, but rather what they've done during that time.

Why's Reclamation: Part 1 one of the highlights of progressive black metal in 2024? Well, it was an offering of consistent quality, brimming top-to-bottom with wonderful melodies and memorable moments that even outshone what the band offered on previous albums. The songwriting was quite remarkable, as the band delved into genres such as meloblack and post-metal, whilst maintaining their high-quality progressive route, and Reclamation: Part 2 not only maintains this form, but takes the songwriting to a whole new epic level.

"Sólfarið" starts the album off as symphonic chanting and dramatic synths provide an epic backdrop, before a heavy melodic riff then follows, along with semi-harsh growls and a strikingly powerful rhythm section. The song then alters direction, as passionately performed cleans and soft melancholic instrumentation are introduced, before the tempo gradually increases once again, and the symphonic orchestrations return. This then all ends with a grand, epic melodic guitar solo. Simply put, this is a fantastic opener that starts Part 2 off even stronger than where Part 1 left off, and with this only being the opening track, things are destined to get even better.

"Acquiescence" takes a pleasantly unexpected direction, this time opening with a beautiful acoustic melody and clean singing before introducing excellent multi-layered instrumentation with superb songwriting. The guitar work isn't just based on ferocious blackened tremolos, but rather everything from heavy chugging and sweepingly melancholic riffs similar to those of Insomnium, to majestic acoustic passages. Simply put, this song is 8 minutes of everything the band can conjure up from their impeccable arsenal; there are moments here that wouldn't go amiss on a thrash or melodeath record, and this just shows the high level of musicianship that has gone into crafting this excellent two-part album.

From here, the songwriting continues to impress, as even the short interlude "Disconsolate" is more than just your regular interlude; it's a breathtaking, semi-folkish acoustic-based track, featuring various string instruments and epic mythical synth work on top. Another interesting moment is the welcome appearance of Borknagar vocalist Lars Nedland, who steps in on vocal duties for the song "The Distance". He makes this song his own, maybe even outperforming anything from Borknagar's Fall released earlier the same year. The structure is not only progressive, but contains a stunning variety of melodies, with also some mesmerizing post-metal passages. I could go on with describing the standout moments and praising the performances on the album, but there's simply too many to speak of and describe; it's a masterclass display in songwriting, to say the least.

Overall, I believe Reclamation: Part 2 outshines Reclamation: Part 1 in many ways; firstly the tone hits harder and cuts deeper, but also the symphonies are all the more epic, and it even manages to deliver melodies that are all the more memorable, whether in the form of acoustic passages, heavy tremolo riffs or vocal harmonies. Furthermore, it contains some of the finest riffs on display by any black metal band this year, and each individual is at the top of their game. Outshining part 1 was always going to be a tall order, but they've not only managed to succeed in that, they've also released the best material of their career, and with each of the two parts brought together, Reclamation becomes one of the most groundbreaking projects released in 2024.