Album Review: Ætheria Conscientia – The Blossoming (Frozen Records)

Ætheria Conscientia is a progressive black metal band formed in 2016, offering up a blend of extreme, progressive and psychedelic sounds, at the crossroads between Oranssi Pazuzu, Mastodon and Enslaved with a Sci-Fi themed background.

After two albums, ‘Tales from Hydhradh’ (2018) and ‘Corrupted Pillars of Vanity’ (2021), the band returns with its third opus, ‘The Blossoming’, out on June 7th, 2024, via Frozen Records.

The magnitude of Ætheria Conscientia’s creative abilities is simply startling, and across six epic examples, they make the madness of their progressive black metal sound unforgettable. While comparisons to the likes of Oranssi Pazuzu are fair, Ætheria Conscientia are unequivocally their own thing.

The breadth of their imagination is on full display from the start with Astral Chori, a display of garish blackness, errant melody, broadminded twists, and bullish turns. It’s not just an emphatic showcase of heaviness crossed with melody, but an emphatic showcase of how compelling their strangeness can be, and this is a strange experience overall. Just wait until the first appearance of a saxophone crops up.

It is so fascinating though, and the sense of immersion only grows with more and more unique offerings like Haesperadh, Wrath Of The Virikoï, and Daimu Kadasdra Ko Antall. The chaotic blackened structure ensures fans of the extreme will love this, and how that is crossed with so much erratic melody will ensure those who like shimmering and shifting styles will also come away very pleased. Regardless of where the core sound sits, this is a vibrantly colourful record.

With great enthusiasm and a strong continuation of their innate dynamism, Ætheria Conscientia hold the listener in a tight grip as the album reaches its latter stage. First, there’s the vastness of Endless Cycle, one of richest examples of radiant brightness and blistering darkness. Then to wrap up this inimitable experience, it’s the title track and one last wild foray into the manic mindset of Ætheria Conscientia.

Expect the unexpected and still come away shocked by the level Ætheria Conscientia have reached on this album.

Ætheria Conscientia – The Blossoming Track Listing:

1. Astral Choir
2. Haesperadh
3. Wrath Of The Virikoï
4. Daimu Kadasdra Ko Antall
5. Endless Cycle
6. The Blossoming

Links

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