Album Review: Essenz – Manes Impetus (Amor Fati Productions)

Essenz play extreme metal with hints of black, death and doom infused with ambience and noise phrases. Birthed in 2006, their third full-length album ‘Manes Impetus’ will be released by Amor Fati Productions as CD and digital on August 10th 2018 and later on this year as a LP.

Rumbling from deep with in ancient caves where light has never entered comes Essenz. A darkened, bleak and ultimately intense seven-track listen.

Peeled and Released shows us the scope of Essenz’s thinking as it is an eleven-minute opener that goes through all variations of the extreme metal spectrum. From black-infused guitars, to chunky bass-heavy doom to up-tempo death metal. It’s a brave move to begin with something so huge and varied but it does well to not come across confused.

There is no let-up as Unfolding Death rages with unbridled fury, Amortal Abstract crashes around with dark doom and Randlos Gebein takes the well-trodden path that leads to black metal absolution.

There is no denying that Manes Impetus is a tough listen. Not because Essenz are doing massively complex stuff but because most of their tracks take on so many different forms. Almost all are a lengthy experience with only the short three and a half minute savage that is Apparitional Spheres changing that formula.

Sermon to the Ghosts is very different though. Ominous soundscapes and oppressive effects. For 9 minutes it weighs heavily on you without an inch of metal in sight. A very unusual and if I’m honest, unnecessary inclusion especially as it’s so long.

Happily Essenz at least end things on a high as the energy saved on the previous track is used to turn Ecstatic Sleep into an absolute beast of a track. Once it gets going, the death metal abilities of the band shine here with some thrilling meaty riffs and gut-churning drumming.

Essenz – Manes Impetus Full Track Listing:

1. Peeled and Released
2. Unfolding Death
3. Amortal Abstract
4. Randlos Gebein
5. Apparitional Spheres
6. Sermon to the Ghosts
7. Ecstatic Sleep

You’ll be able to get the new album via Amor Fati Productions here and via Bandcamp here. Pick up Essenz’s earlier releases via their Bandcamp here. Keep up to date with their news over on their Facebook Page.