#melodeath — Public Fediverse posts

A band I enjoy and re-discover and therefore keep coming back to every now and then is #MarianasRest. Finnish #melodeath with more than just a pinch of #doom. Here’s a great song of their debut album from 2016:

https://musiccloud.io/bnP1kXv2

#NowPlaying

Do I like metalcore? I’ve always struggled a bit with this question. That’s a terrible way to start a review of any variety, but it’s a question I’ve kept coming back to since discovering Tyraels Ascension, a metalcore group from the United States, and their sophomore full-length, Grave Seeker. Metalcore has so much energy to it, all mixed up with frustration, anger, sadness, joy—on paper, very much my cup of tea. So every once in a while, I’m happy to sit down, grab whatever -core the cool kids are talking about these days, and see what happens. Grave Seeker has all of the above qualities and more, so what happens when we put it all together?

Liveliness is what happens—you get a lively record. Grave Seeker shows Tyraels Ascension at excitable peaks, with bombastic energy flying at your face from minute one. “No End in Sight” gives you a good idea of what to expect quickly, with duelling guitars, raspy shouts backed with growls, and a ton of excess energy. “The Summoning” shows Tyraels Ascension riffing with sleekness in their souls, while “Darkened Soul” shows off a burlier, more in-your-face side to the band. Occasionally some clean singing pokes through (“No End in Sight,” “The Summoning”) and there’s the odd piano (“Tears,” “Bittersweet”), but for the most part the songs are brief (3-5 minutes), guitar-driven, riff-tastic constructions.

That’s the primary strength of Grave Seeker, really: guitarists Sean Searls and Kevin McNeil, supported by Adam Bodkin’s bass, are mighty forces for Tyraels Ascension. Their mournful leads make “Bittersweet” a song that lives up to its title and “Impossible Decisions” an adventure. By contrast, vocalist Alex Theesen has a tougher challenge; his style of rasping shouts confine him to a certain range of emotive performance that the duelling guitars help round out. In the aforementioned “Impossible Decisions,” for example, the guitars get the song off to a roaring start, fast-paced and very strong. Drummer Brandon Dorman sets a great pace, and everyone’s keeping up. When the chorus hits, Theesen shouts with all he’s got, but it feels like he wants to hit a more melodic feel than his style allows for. The guitars adopt a more mellow, melodeath-esque melody that gives the moment the added weight and catharsis to make it all work.

What’s interesting about Tyraels Ascension is that they feel, at times, like they’re reaching across that blurry line that separates metalcore and melodeath. Theesen’s style is unmistakably -core, and the vocals all but cement the subgenre by themselves. But take the vocals away—as happens in the comparatively epic “Tyraels Curse”1—and the feel changes completely. Similarly, Grave Seeker features a handful of quiet, more emotional moments that Theesen’s approach is just too burly for (the interlude in “No End in Sight” is a perfect example; he can only really narrate-sing-growl these moments and it just doesn’t work, despite the beautiful guitar lead). This friction between multidimensional instrumentals that breathe ranges of emotion and a vocalist whose primary focus is power holds Grave Seeker back—though which way is preferable will, of course, be up to the individual listener.

Grave Seeker is an adventurous album with some really good songs, a host of impressive guitar work, and a recognizable concept that I’ve come to really enjoy. With that said, I do have some mixed feelings about the full fifty-three-minute experience. For my part, it sounds like Tyraels Ascension are still working towards exactly what their sound is. But Grave Seeker is confident, fun, and enjoyable enough that I’m looking forward to seeing what they’ll come up with next.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Rotweiller Records
Websites: tyraelsascension.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/TyraelsAscension
Releases Worldwide: July 24th, 2026

Do I like metalcore? I’ve always struggled a bit with this question. That’s a terrible way to start a review of any variety, but it’s a question I’ve kept coming back to since discovering Tyraels Ascension, a metalcore group from the United States, and their sophomore full-length, Grave Seeker. Metalcore has so much energy to it, all mixed up with frustration, anger, sadness, joy—on paper, very much my cup of tea. So every once in a while, I’m happy to sit down, grab whatever -core the cool kids are talking about these days, and see what happens. Grave Seeker has all of the above qualities and more, so what happens when we put it all together?

Liveliness is what happens—you get a lively record. Grave Seeker shows Tyraels Ascension at excitable peaks, with bombastic energy flying at your face from minute one. “No End in Sight” gives you a good idea of what to expect quickly, with duelling guitars, raspy shouts backed with growls, and a ton of excess energy. “The Summoning” shows Tyraels Ascension riffing with sleekness in their souls, while “Darkened Soul” shows off a burlier, more in-your-face side to the band. Occasionally some clean singing pokes through (“No End in Sight,” “The Summoning”) and there’s the odd piano (“Tears,” “Bittersweet”), but for the most part the songs are brief (3-5 minutes), guitar-driven, riff-tastic constructions.

That’s the primary strength of Grave Seeker, really: guitarists Sean Searls and Kevin McNeil, supported by Adam Bodkin’s bass, are mighty forces for Tyraels Ascension. Their mournful leads make “Bittersweet” a song that lives up to its title and “Impossible Decisions” an adventure. By contrast, vocalist Alex Theesen has a tougher challenge; his style of rasping shouts confine him to a certain range of emotive performance that the duelling guitars help round out. In the aforementioned “Impossible Decisions,” for example, the guitars get the song off to a roaring start, fast-paced and very strong. Drummer Brandon Dorman sets a great pace, and everyone’s keeping up. When the chorus hits, Theesen shouts with all he’s got, but it feels like he wants to hit a more melodic feel than his style allows for. The guitars adopt a more mellow, melodeath-esque melody that gives the moment the added weight and catharsis to make it all work.

What’s interesting about Tyraels Ascension is that they feel, at times, like they’re reaching across that blurry line that separates metalcore and melodeath. Theesen’s style is unmistakably -core, and the vocals all but cement the subgenre by themselves. But take the vocals away—as happens in the comparatively epic “Tyraels Curse”1—and the feel changes completely. Similarly, Grave Seeker features a handful of quiet, more emotional moments that Theesen’s approach is just too burly for (the interlude in “No End in Sight” is a perfect example; he can only really narrate-sing-growl these moments and it just doesn’t work, despite the beautiful guitar lead). This friction between multidimensional instrumentals that breathe ranges of emotion and a vocalist whose primary focus is power holds Grave Seeker back—though which way is preferable will, of course, be up to the individual listener.

Grave Seeker is an adventurous album with some really good songs, a host of impressive guitar work, and a recognizable concept that I’ve come to really enjoy. With that said, I do have some mixed feelings about the full fifty-three-minute experience. For my part, it sounds like Tyraels Ascension are still working towards exactly what their sound is. But Grave Seeker is confident, fun, and enjoyable enough that I’m looking forward to seeing what they’ll come up with next.

Rating: 3.0/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Rotweiller Records
Websites: tyraelsascension.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/TyraelsAscension
Releases Worldwide: July 24th, 2026

For this #ThursDeath I bring you some #MeloDeath . It is the single from our upcoming Snowbound EP (release 1.8.). I joined Mysterm some weeks ago, and it has been a solo project so far. To this song I didn't contribute anything, but on the other 2 songs, I got to record a solo. So very excited to soon have some music released where I was involved in recording :ablobcatreach:

Mysterm - Snowbound
https://youtu.be/t2q9x1g3DIY?is=AvR88Mr2AlzA5Zm1

Website with links to streaming services/socials
https://mysterm.de/
(Sadly no Mastodon for now)

#MelodicDeathMetal #DeathMetal

For this #ThursDeath I bring you some #MeloDeath . It is the single from our upcoming Snowbound EP (release 1.8.). I joined Mysterm some weeks ago, and it has been a solo project so far. To this song I didn't contribute anything, but on the other 2 songs, I got to record a solo. So very excited to soon have some music released where I was involved in recording :ablobcatreach:

Mysterm - Snowbound
https://youtu.be/t2q9x1g3DIY?is=AvR88Mr2AlzA5Zm1

Website with links to streaming services/socials
https://mysterm.de/
(Sadly no Mastodon for now)

#MelodicDeathMetal #DeathMetal

Winter - Ethereal Darkness

https://musiccloud.io/s6gGu

I slept on this album. I should not have. #music #melodeath

Winter - Ethereal Darkness

https://musiccloud.io/s6gGu

I slept on this album. I should not have. #music #melodeath

#MetalMonday with Cursed Abyss from #Hamburg

I'd say they stand somewhere between melo death, deathcore and sometimes moder metal (whatever that means :D).

On this song they snuck in some German lyrics and it kicks <3

"Wir haben keine Zeit mehr
Living in a nightmare"

https://musiccloud.io/5KLzq

#metal #deathcore #melodeath

Aujourd'hui sur Blog à part – At the Gates: The Ghost of a Future Dead

J’ai voulu profiter de la sortie de leur dernier album, The Ghost of a Future Dead, pour découvrir At the Gates, un des noms les plus connus de la scène mélodeath..

#DeathMetal #Melodeath

https://erdorin.org/at-the-gates-the-ghost-of-a-future-dead/

Formed in 2014 in the wake of the success of Arch Enemy, Spain’s Bloodhunter joined the ranks of melodeath bands featuring attractive leading ladies who snarl and growl rather than sing like Disney princesses. Lokasenna favorably reviewed their sophomore record, The End of Faith, writing that while it wasn’t particularly innovative, Bloodhunter sounded promising enough to give them a potentially bright future. The nine years since have sown significant changes, with a new bassist and drummer, as well as an additional guitarist; founding guitarist Dani Arcos and vocalist Diva Satanica serve as the only common links between these two albums. Sons of the Abandoned, their fourth, seeks to live up to the bright future Lokasenna prophesied.

Sons of the Abandoned proves a highly energetic affair, having a melodic bent in the vein of At the Gates or In Flames. Tracks waver between high octane (“The Devils Own,” “Human Insecticide”) and mid-tempo (“The Outspoken,” “Ephemeral Youth”). While plenty heavy, Bloodhunter fall just shy of brutal, with a much lighter intensity than the comps listed above, though they do occasionally ramp things up. “The Devils Own” gets the album off to a nice start, with its gentle melodic lead jumping into some of the record’s most brutal cuts. It’s a really good song that reveals a melodic side underneath that tough exterior. From there, tunes largely shed the brutality and drop to a slightly slower tempo before ending on another fast and brutal high note on the thrashy Annihilator cover, “Human Insecticide.” The mid-tempo stuff allows Bloodhunter to dive more deeply into their melodic side, though with mixed results.

Lokasenna’s critique about a lack of innovation still applies, as Bloodhunter stick to pretty standard riffs, but they do flash some impressive melodies here and there. Bloodhunter save their most memorable melodies for the choruses. The best comes from “Sons of the Abandoned,” transforming a pretty standard song into something more rewarding thanks to a lead I find myself frequently whistling. Not all leads successfully push the bar, however. “Ephemeral Youth” similarly features a pretty good lead, but the tune ultimately grows a bit tiresome thanks to too much repetition. Sadly, the mid-album tracks lack the hooks to stir any interest. Even a rather elaborate solo on “No One Beats Death” does very little to resuscitate the record’s earlier vitality. Bloodhunter invite Laura Guldemond (Burning Witches) to handle cleans for a rather disappointing chorus on “The Path that Never Ends” in yet another unsuccessful bid to spruce up this stretch of songs.

Sons of the Abandoned sounds really good, thanks to some great production values and solid performances. While the guitar parts don’t always wow, the addition of guitarist Guillermo Starless opens up space for a heftier, more interesting guitar presence. It’s true that Arcos and Starless could inject a little more creativity into their riffs, but they still have plenty of really good stuff. There’s a lead on “Masters of Deceive” that has a smooth jazz vibe that displays their ability to get creative, and an instrumental interlude has some lovely arpeggios that I can’t help but think could have gone to more use throughout Sons of the Abandoned. The mix also allows Fabian Tejeda’s bass to breathe, with some gentleness on the quieter interlude and then some hectic noodling on “Human Insecticide.” Finally, Diva Satanica serves the record well as frontwoman. She has some capable growls, switching to Trevor Strnad-like snarls now and then, even if she lacks the brutality of some of her contemporaries.

While Sons of the Abandoned does scratch that melodic itch here and there, it also gives me a better appreciation of the creative riffs that At the Gates recently displayed. I’m a sucker for a good melodic lead, so I’m willing to overlook some shortcomings if the record has enough of them. Bloodhunter meet this criteria a little more than half the time. There are plenty of songs I’d be happy to put into a playlist, but unfortunately, too many are forgettable. While LP number four hasn’t yet delivered on Lokasenna’s hope for a bright future, Bloodhunter certainly has it in them to deliver a killer record.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: ROAR! Rock of Angels Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Official Site
Releases Worldwide: June 12th, 2026

Formed in 2014 in the wake of the success of Arch Enemy, Spain’s Bloodhunter joined the ranks of melodeath bands featuring attractive leading ladies who snarl and growl rather than sing like Disney princesses. Lokasenna favorably reviewed their sophomore record, The End of Faith, writing that while it wasn’t particularly innovative, Bloodhunter sounded promising enough to give them a potentially bright future. The nine years since have sown significant changes, with a new bassist and drummer, as well as an additional guitarist; founding guitarist Dani Arcos and vocalist Diva Satanica serve as the only common links between these two albums. Sons of the Abandoned, their fourth, seeks to live up to the bright future Lokasenna prophesied.

Sons of the Abandoned proves a highly energetic affair, having a melodic bent in the vein of At the Gates or In Flames. Tracks waver between high octane (“The Devils Own,” “Human Insecticide”) and mid-tempo (“The Outspoken,” “Ephemeral Youth”). While plenty heavy, Bloodhunter fall just shy of brutal, with a much lighter intensity than the comps listed above, though they do occasionally ramp things up. “The Devils Own” gets the album off to a nice start, with its gentle melodic lead jumping into some of the record’s most brutal cuts. It’s a really good song that reveals a melodic side underneath that tough exterior. From there, tunes largely shed the brutality and drop to a slightly slower tempo before ending on another fast and brutal high note on the thrashy Annihilator cover, “Human Insecticide.” The mid-tempo stuff allows Bloodhunter to dive more deeply into their melodic side, though with mixed results.

Lokasenna’s critique about a lack of innovation still applies, as Bloodhunter stick to pretty standard riffs, but they do flash some impressive melodies here and there. Bloodhunter save their most memorable melodies for the choruses. The best comes from “Sons of the Abandoned,” transforming a pretty standard song into something more rewarding thanks to a lead I find myself frequently whistling. Not all leads successfully push the bar, however. “Ephemeral Youth” similarly features a pretty good lead, but the tune ultimately grows a bit tiresome thanks to too much repetition. Sadly, the mid-album tracks lack the hooks to stir any interest. Even a rather elaborate solo on “No One Beats Death” does very little to resuscitate the record’s earlier vitality. Bloodhunter invite Laura Guldemond (Burning Witches) to handle cleans for a rather disappointing chorus on “The Path that Never Ends” in yet another unsuccessful bid to spruce up this stretch of songs.

Sons of the Abandoned sounds really good, thanks to some great production values and solid performances. While the guitar parts don’t always wow, the addition of guitarist Guillermo Starless opens up space for a heftier, more interesting guitar presence. It’s true that Arcos and Starless could inject a little more creativity into their riffs, but they still have plenty of really good stuff. There’s a lead on “Masters of Deceive” that has a smooth jazz vibe that displays their ability to get creative, and an instrumental interlude has some lovely arpeggios that I can’t help but think could have gone to more use throughout Sons of the Abandoned. The mix also allows Fabian Tejeda’s bass to breathe, with some gentleness on the quieter interlude and then some hectic noodling on “Human Insecticide.” Finally, Diva Satanica serves the record well as frontwoman. She has some capable growls, switching to Trevor Strnad-like snarls now and then, even if she lacks the brutality of some of her contemporaries.

While Sons of the Abandoned does scratch that melodic itch here and there, it also gives me a better appreciation of the creative riffs that At the Gates recently displayed. I’m a sucker for a good melodic lead, so I’m willing to overlook some shortcomings if the record has enough of them. Bloodhunter meet this criteria a little more than half the time. There are plenty of songs I’d be happy to put into a playlist, but unfortunately, too many are forgettable. While LP number four hasn’t yet delivered on Lokasenna’s hope for a bright future, Bloodhunter certainly has it in them to deliver a killer record.

Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 10 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: ROAR! Rock of Angels Records
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook | Official Site
Releases Worldwide: June 12th, 2026

Finished (re)listening to all of In Flames' albums, so it's time for a tierlist!

No massive surprises for me here. Older records are stronger, but I still can enjoy newer ones; ASOP is an outlier but it's one I have a lot of nostalgic love for as my first melodeath album.

#music #melodeath

Finished (re)listening to all of In Flames' albums, so it's time for a tierlist!

No massive surprises for me here. Older records are stronger, but I still can enjoy newer ones; ASOP is an outlier but it's one I have a lot of nostalgic love for as my first melodeath album.

#music #melodeath

Atavistia deliver a massive symphonic melodeath journey with "Old Gods Awaken," blending fantasy-inspired atmosphere, folk influences, and soaring melodies into one of the band’s strongest releases yet.

Details: https://metalinsider.net/releases/album-review-atavistia-old-gods-awaken

#Atavistia #MelodicDeathMetal #SymphonicMetal #Melodeath #MetalReview

❗️Les allemands de 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗯𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗿 reprennent de la place dans le bestiaire Swedeath / Melo-OSDM de la décennie courante avec le très bon "Defiance"...

https://www.coreandco.fr/chroniques/nightbearer-defiance-10846.html

#review #chronique #swedeath #osdm #melodeath #germany

Insomnium - Valediction https://musiccloud.io/FdyWV

Have been re-discovering #Insomnium today. Great band, wish they'd stop touring long enough to release an album. 🤣 #music #melodeath

Insomnium - Valediction https://musiccloud.io/FdyWV

Have been re-discovering #Insomnium today. Great band, wish they'd stop touring long enough to release an album. 🤣 #music #melodeath

At The Gates' new album, "The Ghost of a Future Dead" is out today. I'm only on the second listen. Initial impression is that it sounds most similar to "At War With Reality". But it has its own mood and melodic character. This album has an epic quality and is a fitting swansong for Tomas and the entity known as At The Gates.

Tomas recorded the vocals in one day before he went into surgery on his throat for the cancer that ultimately took his life.

#AtTheGates #melodeath

At The Gates' new album, "The Ghost of a Future Dead" is out today. I'm only on the second listen. Initial impression is that it sounds most similar to "At War With Reality". But it has its own mood and melodic character. This album has an epic quality and is a fitting swansong for Tomas and the entity known as At The Gates.

Tomas recorded the vocals in one day before he went into surgery on his throat for the cancer that ultimately took his life.

#AtTheGates #melodeath

❗ Le swedeath très mélo dans "Darkborne" ne mettra pas tout le monde d'accord mais ça n'en reste pas moins un bon album de 𝗘𝘆𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 ...

https://www.coreandco.fr/chroniques/eye-of-purgatory-darkborne-10838.html

#review #chronique #swedeath #melodeath #sweden

Hibernation's End from Frostshock

https://frostshock.bandcamp.com/album/hibernations-end
Nur für den Fall, dass dieses oberaffengeile Melodeath-Album an euch vorbeigehuscht sein sollte - unbedingt in die Rotation aufnehmen!
#frostshock #melodeath #metal

Hibernation's End from Frostshock

https://frostshock.bandcamp.com/album/hibernations-end
Nur für den Fall, dass dieses oberaffengeile Melodeath-Album an euch vorbeigehuscht sein sollte - unbedingt in die Rotation aufnehmen!
#frostshock #melodeath #metal

❗ Melodeath, Death mélo old school, Black tout aussi mélo, 𝗗𝗿𝘂𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮 joue la carte des mélanges avec plus ou moins de réussite dans le malgré tout sympathique "The River Above"...

https://www.coreandco.fr/chroniques/druparia-the-river-above-10713.html

#review #chronique #dethmetal #melodeath #usa

Wow, this has gone straight to the top of my #BandcampFriday list. Probably the CD. #Enshine #Melodeath #Music

This is really nice. #Enshine with their new album 'Elevation'.

https://enshine.bandcamp.com/album/elevation

https://open.qobuz.com/album/iou2umbwn9cf5

#Melodeath #Music

❗ OSDM, Death Melo, Death-‘N-Roll, un peu black metal, tout en restant cohérent, 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲 fait dans les mélanges teigneux avec "Your Funeral"...

https://www.coreandco.fr/chroniques/funeral-home-your-funeral-10727.html

#review #chronique #OSDM #melodeath #finland

Free download codes:

Through Mists - The Thought That Swallowed All

"The mind is the killer"

https://getmusic.fm/l/zNdFyl

#deathmetal #blackeneddeathmetal #melodeath #techdeath #music

Free download codes:

Through Mists - The Thought That Swallowed All

"The mind is the killer"

https://getmusic.fm/l/zNdFyl

#deathmetal #blackeneddeathmetal #melodeath #techdeath #music

Blasting on Wednesday

https://song.link/s/0e0wZz1K9bAd9lQnNBSTuu

#melodeath

Blasting on Wednesday

https://song.link/s/0e0wZz1K9bAd9lQnNBSTuu

#melodeath

So, I mentioned before my favourite Christmas song is Last Christmas. Now, I still stand by my choice from before, because I like that version of that song more, but here is a cover of Last Christmas by a melodeath band from Poland known as Aether, appropriately titled Blast Christmas!

https://song.link/y/idVF4qucneU

Apparently it's only found on YouTube, but it used to be in Bandcamp.

#MeloDeath #Aether #TuneTuesday #MyFavouriteXmasSong #LastChristmas

So, I mentioned before my favourite Christmas song is Last Christmas. Now, I still stand by my choice from before, because I like that version of that song more, but here is a cover of Last Christmas by a melodeath band from Poland known as Aether, appropriately titled Blast Christmas!

https://song.link/y/idVF4qucneU

Apparently it's only found on YouTube, but it used to be in Bandcamp.

#MeloDeath #Aether #TuneTuesday #MyFavouriteXmasSong #LastChristmas

❗Avec ce premier EP "Swallowed By My Own Sins", 𝗔𝘇𝗲𝗹𝗺𝗮 déploie un death varié proposé avec assurance, efficacité, et une vraie personnalité...

https://www.coreandco.fr/chroniques/azelma-swallowed-by-my-own-sins-10652.html

#review #chronique #MeloDeath #Thrash #ModernDeath #france

Bloodgod – Catharsis
#BlackMetal #BlackenedDeathMetal #DeathMetal #GrooveMetal #Metal #ThrashMetal #brutaldeathmetal #melodeath #melodeath #melodicdeath #melodicdeathmetal #thrash #Utrecht
CC BY-NC-SA (#CreativeCommons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike) #ccmusic
https://bloodgod.bandcamp.com/album/catharsis

Bloodgod – Catharsis
#BlackMetal #BlackenedDeathMetal #DeathMetal #GrooveMetal #Metal #ThrashMetal #brutaldeathmetal #melodeath #melodeath #melodicdeath #melodicdeathmetal #thrash #Utrecht
CC BY-NC-SA (#CreativeCommons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike) #ccmusic
https://bloodgod.bandcamp.com/album/catharsis

I'm really into well-crafted #melodeath most of the time. And I was totally digging Prokopton. But the latest #Aephanemer - despite the praise it gets - ... I don't know. Just not for me.

Aephanemer – Utopie [Things You Might Have Missed 2025]

By Grin Reaper

Something about neoclassical instrumentation forged between the hammer and the anvil kindles the embers of my withered Reaper heart. Whether tasting northern comfort with Children of Bodom, basking in festering swamp songs with Kalmah, or unleashing hell with Norther, Finland has long asserted a stranglehold on melodeath of the symphonic persuasion.1 That is, until a modest French foursome threw down the gauntlet. I first encountered Aephanemer between Prokopton and A Dream of Wilderness, and it was love at first listen. Their classical flourishes seamlessly converge with aggressive riffing to develop complex layers of hook-infested earworms so inescapable that no prescription can rid me of their iron thrall. Four years after their last outing, Aephanemer returns with a mature interpretation of their signature sonic stamp.

Grabbing the reins to shepherd listeners to new frontiers of what melodic death metal can sound like, Aephanemer reemerges to show us the way to Utopie. Evolving the neoclassical components of platters past, Aephanemer fully realizes a stunning merger of melodeath and symphonic orchestrations.2 On Utopie, the band crafts an experience that sounds like it was written with classical composition as its basis rather than as a reservoir of embellishments. Earlier albums comprised songs with classical ingredients, but on Utopie, Aephanemer sculpts a singular work with movements and motifs that unfold through its fifty-one-minute runtime, giving the album a degree of unity and cohesion that is sometimes sought yet rarely achieved in modern music.

Where Utopie’s soundscape exudes consonance, its composition is structured in two halves. The front bears quicker, sticky numbers while the back embraces longer-form, sweeping arrangements. “Contrepoint” appropriately serves as the intermediary between each half, though the track itself conforms to the fore’s characteristics. “Le Cimetière Marin,” “La Règle du Jeu,” and “Par-delà le Mur des Siècles” fashion an opening trio of gluey tunes that flow harmoniously into one another, surprising me with how quickly those fifteen minutes pass every time I listen. The final triad of tracks encompass half the album’s runtime and deliver the soaring majesty of epics while maintaining momentum. Throughout, Aephanemer’s galloping rhythms, arpeggiated leads, and bubbly tom rolls (plus intermittent flute trills and orchestral strings) sustain a vital energy, providing a pervasive sense of kinesis and grandeur. Martin Hamiche’s guitar tone is buoyant and silky,3 the perfect counterpoint to Marion Bascoul’s harsh rasps. Mickaël Bonnevialle underpins Aephanemer’s bombast with flurries of fills and rolls, always in support of the overarching sound while occasionally commanding well-deserved spotlight. Even as a three-piece, the band performs as tightly as ever.

Utopie is the sound of a band with a vision so crisp and vivid that all you need to do is close your eyes to be whisked away to paradise. Aephanemer oozes jubilance and confidence, harnessing the successes of previous albums and honing them to an eager edge, sallying forth with nary a concern for detractors. In a year where melodeath claimed two of 2025’s Records o’ the Month (Aversed and In Mourning), plus saw releases from Amorphis, Buried Realm, Mors Principium Est, and Vittra, Utopie claims the top spot of the genre in my humble (but accurate) estimation. Aephanemer in 2025 best embodies the spirit and triumph of what symphonic melodeath can do, mustering a celebration of undeniable charm and panache. Go forth and embrace bliss. Go to Utopie.

Tracks to Check Out: “Le Cimetiére Marin,” “Contrepoint,” “La Rivière Souterraine,” “Utopie (Partie II)”

#2025 #aephanemer #amorphis #aversed #buriedRealm #childrenOfBodom #frenchMetal #inMourning #kalmah #melodeath #melodicDeathMetal #morsPrincipiumEst #napalmRecords #norther #symphonicMetal #thingsYouMightHaveMissed2025 #tymhm #utopie #vittra

Aephanemer – Utopie [Things You Might Have Missed 2025]

By Grin Reaper

Something about neoclassical instrumentation forged between the hammer and the anvil kindles the embers of my withered Reaper heart. Whether tasting northern comfort with Children of Bodom, basking in festering swamp songs with Kalmah, or unleashing hell with Norther, Finland has long asserted a stranglehold on melodeath of the symphonic persuasion.1 That is, until a modest French foursome threw down the gauntlet. I first encountered Aephanemer between Prokopton and A Dream of Wilderness, and it was love at first listen. Their classical flourishes seamlessly converge with aggressive riffing to develop complex layers of hook-infested earworms so inescapable that no prescription can rid me of their iron thrall. Four years after their last outing, Aephanemer returns with a mature interpretation of their signature sonic stamp.

Grabbing the reins to shepherd listeners to new frontiers of what melodic death metal can sound like, Aephanemer reemerges to show us the way to Utopie. Evolving the neoclassical components of platters past, Aephanemer fully realizes a stunning merger of melodeath and symphonic orchestrations.2 On Utopie, the band crafts an experience that sounds like it was written with classical composition as its basis rather than as a reservoir of embellishments. Earlier albums comprised songs with classical ingredients, but on Utopie, Aephanemer sculpts a singular work with movements and motifs that unfold through its fifty-one-minute runtime, giving the album a degree of unity and cohesion that is sometimes sought yet rarely achieved in modern music.

Where Utopie’s soundscape exudes consonance, its composition is structured in two halves. The front bears quicker, sticky numbers while the back embraces longer-form, sweeping arrangements. “Contrepoint” appropriately serves as the intermediary between each half, though the track itself conforms to the fore’s characteristics. “Le Cimetière Marin,” “La Règle du Jeu,” and “Par-delà le Mur des Siècles” fashion an opening trio of gluey tunes that flow harmoniously into one another, surprising me with how quickly those fifteen minutes pass every time I listen. The final triad of tracks encompass half the album’s runtime and deliver the soaring majesty of epics while maintaining momentum. Throughout, Aephanemer’s galloping rhythms, arpeggiated leads, and bubbly tom rolls (plus intermittent flute trills and orchestral strings) sustain a vital energy, providing a pervasive sense of kinesis and grandeur. Martin Hamiche’s guitar tone is buoyant and silky,3 the perfect counterpoint to Marion Bascoul’s harsh rasps. Mickaël Bonnevialle underpins Aephanemer’s bombast with flurries of fills and rolls, always in support of the overarching sound while occasionally commanding well-deserved spotlight. Even as a three-piece, the band performs as tightly as ever.

Utopie is the sound of a band with a vision so crisp and vivid that all you need to do is close your eyes to be whisked away to paradise. Aephanemer oozes jubilance and confidence, harnessing the successes of previous albums and honing them to an eager edge, sallying forth with nary a concern for detractors. In a year where melodeath claimed two of 2025’s Records o’ the Month (Aversed and In Mourning), plus saw releases from Amorphis, Buried Realm, Mors Principium Est, and Vittra, Utopie claims the top spot of the genre in my humble (but accurate) estimation. Aephanemer in 2025 best embodies the spirit and triumph of what symphonic melodeath can do, mustering a celebration of undeniable charm and panache. Go forth and embrace bliss. Go to Utopie.

Tracks to Check Out: “Le Cimetiére Marin,” “Contrepoint,” “La Rivière Souterraine,” “Utopie (Partie II)”

#2025 #aephanemer #amorphis #aversed #buriedRealm #childrenOfBodom #frenchMetal #inMourning #kalmah #melodeath #melodicDeathMetal #morsPrincipiumEst #napalmRecords #norther #symphonicMetal #thingsYouMightHaveMissed2025 #tymhm #utopie #vittra

I forgot how good #Insomnium 's 'Heart Like A Grave is.

Definitely up there with Shadows of the Dying Sun. I hope there's a follow-up to Anno on the way. #music #melodeath

https://open.qobuz.com/track/63512532

ATTENTION FEDIVERSE

New single from Dark Oath!! The Weaver they called it.

https://song.link/s/31or5N2H7Cj024eYD87Bnl

#NewRelease #DarkOath #MeloDeath #MelodicDeathMetal #Metal #DeathMetal

@HailsandAles Not sure if I had to include #melodeath in #death, therefore only my top 3 #Blackmetal albums so far:
KRYPTAN - Violence, Our Power
HAVUKRUUNU - Tavastland
BLACKBRAID - Blackbraid III

If you like your #HeavyMetal dead and technical, this dropped yesterday

#DeathMetal #Music #Metal #MeloDeath

If you like your #HeavyMetal dead and technical, this dropped yesterday

#DeathMetal #Music #Metal #MeloDeath

Nailed to Obscurity - Generation of the Void https://open.qobuz.com/album/dflsp0jb1siab

https://nailedtoobscurity.bandcamp.com/album/generation-of-the-void

Really enjoying this one. #nailedtoobscurity #music #Melodeath

Working my way backwards through #InMourning 's back catalogue.

The Bleeding Veil (2021) is another solid album. I do think they improved on it with their next release, The Immortal (2025). However, it's still great and doesn't outstay its welcome.

'Blood in the furrows' is a particular highlight for me.

https://open.qobuz.com/album/ie2zlikw6vlwc

https://listenbrainz.org/album/0fc96c94-af0e-47a1-8b79-210f47dd5969/

https://inmourning.bandcamp.com/album/the-bleeding-veil

#Music #Melodeath

RIP Tomas „Goatspell“ Lindberg #AtTheGates #MeloDeath

RIP Tomas „Goatspell“ Lindberg #AtTheGates #MeloDeath