Album Review: No Living Witness – Cosmic Simulacra (Self Released)

Spawned from the sodden forests of the Pacific Northwest in 2006, No Living Witness has re-emerged to deliver their fourth sonic journey through extreme metal consciousness. An ultra-dimensional beast outside the bounds of genre, the musical motifs dance amongst themes of the human condition, chaos within the mundane, and the incredible truths of the present moment.

On July 2nd, 2021, the blackened death/extreme metal band will unleash Cosmic Simulacra.

Beastly black metal ferocity balanced with death metal intensity and layered with commanding melodies and exciting technicality. No Living Witness bring devastating metal power that oozes intent and conjures up images of evil deeds while also being delightfully addictive in the classic ‘head-banging’ way.

Cosmic Simulacra provides seven high profile and exceptionally detailed efforts that showcases all the reasons to be excited by No Living Witness. From the immense force, captivating melodies and wild detail of Discarded Ember from the Universal Flame. To the explosive displays of Dimensions of Diniver’s Sage and Sailing on a Cardboard Sea. Which has the welcome breather of the cold melody of Dark Moon sitting in between them.

Then there is exhilarating display of bleak heaviness, wonderous keyboard driven melody and epic soundscapes that comes forth on Words Once Written. This track and the following black metal grandiosity that is Individual Sovereignty shows off just how insanely good No Living Witness’ instrumentation is. Although it should be made clear that for all the layers they have, at their core they are undeniably extreme and as if to hammer that point home, the finale of Terra Nova is all about destructive heaviness with moments of guitar driven levity.

One of the more surprising things about Cosmic Simulacra is that there is quite a bit going on throughout. It’s got so much detail, so many coats and so much to unpack that it needs several listens to really take it all in. Well worth doing though as the overall quality of this album is very high.

No Living Witness – Cosmic Simulacra Full Track Listing:

1. Discarded Ember from the Universal Flame
2. Dimensions of Diniver’s Sage
3. Dark Moon
4. Sailing on a Cardboard Sea
5. Words Once Written
6. Individual Sovereignty
7. Terra Nova

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