Album Review: Dead Cosmonauts – Parasomnia (Do It Thissen/Trepanation Recordings)

Sheffield, UK based post-metal quintet and cosmic riff explorers Dead Cosmonauts launched their anticipated sci-fi inspired full length debut album ‘Parasomnia’ on November 17th, 2023, via Do It Thissen (Vinyl) and Trepanation Recordings (CD and Cassette).

An Orwellian dystopian sci-fi concept album is always going to make for a fascinating listen, and it is high praise that Dead Cosmonauts are able to put the listener in a dreamlike state of mind while listening to this album. This is sci-fi with intangible textures, like the fading memory of a restless night of visions, and only through multiple experiences do the images and sounds become more solid.

Featuring six tracks, Parasomnia is mostly instrumental, with voice narration by radio presenter Alibhe Waterhouse, and depicts the end to society as we know it. The terrifying thing being that this feels far closer than it ever did before. This fear is realised through Dead Cosmonauts’ surreal post-orientated soundscape, the group leading us through the choking gloom, offering moments of vibrancy and always showcased in a dynamic way.

The word ‘dream’ could easily be replaced by the word ‘nightmare’, as the record has a resounding coldness, and layers of dark and worrisome dystopia. Yet, this isn’t done in an off-putting way, and Dead Cosmonauts take their music in a twisting and turning direction across a number of different epics. Where the length of each becomes immaterial, as the listener is likely to be so taken with what they are hearing, they don’t notice.

It’s post-metal, but not constrained by any particular genre limitations, heavy on atmosphere, and with bursts of lighter tones punctuating the powerful and pernicious heaviness. It never bogs the mind down, and certainly never reaches a saturation point. Instead leaving the feeling of wanting a bit more, come the end. Which is certainly the sign of an enjoyable listen.

With Parasomnia, Dead Cosmonauts capture the feel of sci-fi dystopia, but avoid some of the more obvious trappings that come with this concept. They do an impressive job of making the listener feel the doom and gloom, but offer up peace and tranquillity by never over-burdening the mind and never making the experience a source of discomfort. You might not feel good after experiencing it, but you will feel like it mattered, and you will want to transport yourself into their world again and again.

Dead Cosmonauts – Parasomnia Track Listing:

1. Liminal Space (65 Mins REM, Vitals = Stable)
2. Beneath The Choking Sky
3. Kenopsia
4. In Spirals It Took Everything
5. Swallowed In Dark Waters
6. A Vision from The Valley of Dry Bones

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