In many ways, the composition feels alive and breathing, organic in a sense, which is to say that it’s so deeply impassioned, and full of emotion, as if it captures the blurs of passion which so often pass us by in life, noticed, but so sparingly indulged in. Perhaps the “precipice” or “door” here leads to a place where you can be invited to give way to such indulgence, and spend some time in the company of simply good music.
With such a glowing indictment of what is to come, it is then a pleasure to report that from this, track 2, “Reunion” uses the same formula to achieve broadly the same overall effect, the main distinguishing feature of the track being the extra space given to the truly gorgeous, smooth, ephemeral clean vocals of Mark Garrett, who’s voice I could frankly listen to all day. It’s not always easy to pull of such a composed male voice in the higher register that Mark does make use of without sounding, well, a bit like a choir in some dim church in rural England, but thankfully such loathsome memories of school choir practice are not conjured up, with far far more class and richness to the hopeful, angelic tones he produces than could be said to exist there.
It is refreshing to so deeply fall into an album like this. When I saw “Deathgaze” used to describe the band in their own description, I admittedly felt that as interesting as the concept is, it would ultimately be lacking in either of the two influences that comprise it, with either the death side feeling copy-cat or the -gaze side feeling as if it were nothing more than some fuzzy guitars and 30 seconds of quiet with a boring synth line we’ve all heard before.
However, Kardashev so convincingly merge the two influences together that I think they’ve landed on something that really suits them, and creates an artistic gravitas that merits commendation more than just belles-lettres and high scores can give. It’s not totally unique, I am indeed reminded of both Persefone (whom I also love) and Eidola in some of the softer passages, but never so much that one could levy the claim that Kardashev have simply spat out many influences. What is here is clearly their own.
Anthemic vibes and hopeful, swirling, free-flowing heart song of the most indelible quality continue throughout track three, “Seed of the Night.” The twist here is the mid portion of the song actually borrows some rather black metal-influenced riff-arpeggio, building back into their more familiar style again later in the song. Some ultra-harsh vocals here are perhaps not implemented as well as they could be, however, and I have to say I do find them to be detracting slightly from the mature feeling cultivated otherwise so far. Some people will likely hear them and appreciate them as a vehicle for cranked-to-11 intensity, but I suspect ultimately that they don’t feel like they warrant the space in the composition. It’s no deal-breaker though, they’re not the broad body of the vocals on the track, and “Seed of the Night” remains a fantastic song.
Adorning the center point of Alunea with its laid back and progressive trappings is the slow-but-warming “Speak Silence.” It’s quite a relaxing track really, oddly serene due to its confident but not overzealous usage of those shoegaze elements Karadshev are so proud to have cultivated over many years. Whilst the album was in no danger of being garish, it is nice to have a more reposed and tighter song to reset the pacing and give a redoubled impact to the more intense songs to come.
With over half of Alunea completed, you’re left very much in this contemplative, meditative state – nothing overly dramatic, no vows of silence or Shaolin Monk Tai-Chi sort of thing, but just this pleasant openness to thought and reason. Perhaps it’s just the way I feel when listening to this sort of music; by my own admission, I am in my own world most of the time. It just feels, though, that there is something philosophical and statement-like in the compositions, which does align with the multi-album concept Karadshev speak of in the notes they attached to the album. I haven’t really been focusing on the lyrics, because bluntly, in metal, I often don’t, but even without them, I am made aware of and subsequently immersed in the thematic bent of the album.
Fighting back against the peace and serenity of “Speak Silence” is “Truth to Form,” which pulls no punches, getting right down to gritty and frantic riffage, guttural lows, pissed-off goblin highs, and driving percussion with beautifully timed and implemented blast beats from drummer Sean Lang. The switch of pace is great here, and the criticism levied before at the ultra-harsh vocals has to become praise here, as they really do add a spiteful edge to things that completes the intensity of the track. There’s still a beautiful midpoint and continuation from there in “Truth to Form” as you’d expect by now, all in all completing the best song since the album opener, “A Precipice. A Door.”
Fans of deep metallic chugging rejoice, for track 6, “Edge of Forever,” slams into action with a dirge-like descent into the darkest caverns of metaldom. Tempos change, intensity thickens and wavers, tension is built in the ways Kardashev trades on, and the sum total of the song is perhaps the angriest, most back-biting, brawling entry on the album.
I definitely appreciate the switch up of intensity late into Alunea, which prevents their style from becoming stale but also does help solidify the death metal credentials that have underpinned Kardashev throughout their artistic journey, them having been less adulterated with other influences in their earlier works. It’s good to hear that in their quest to keep going in new directions with their sound, they at their core never forget what’s good about what they have already achieved.
Track 7, “We Could Fold the Stars,” is determined to be heard and heard loudly. A dark foreboding casts itself across the track’s earliest moments, sounding out its warning, announcing its manifesto, extolling its gnosis. With dignity and decorum, it proceeds into a wistful “what could be” with promises of a future brighter than that which we find ourselves in now, collapsing again though into an anguish worse than to simply suffer or fail, but to know how, in many ways, that is an epitaph to our own folly and ineptitude. For what is worse than to have missed a chance to be and do better, and to instead sit amongst the ashes of promise?
To answer the uncertainty of “We Could Fold the Stars,” we have the longest and final entry on Alunea, “Below Sun and Soil,” which recalls the journey so far, but with a sense of resolution and drive to carry forward, to push onwards in the pursuit of new enlightenment. “Below Sun and Soil” is still tense and fraught with angst, but it feels now as if it is building to something tangible, left for you, the listener, to solve.
All in all, Alunea is a fantastic album, it has scale, compositional competency, virtuosic performances from all band members, stylistic growth for the band, and above all, makes you actually feel something when you listen to it. So often I find progressive bands, especially those in the death metal space don’t always give you a reason to do so.
There are still areas to refine, knowing when exactly to go full force and how to frame that can be worked on, and Kardashev can push the boundaries of creativity even more in their next release to create something that cements deathgaze as a genre to watch out for. These are but minor quibbles, however, that were it not the fact I was reviewing the album, I would scarcely ever think of.
Musicians:
- Mark Garrett / Vocals
- Nico Mirolla / Guitars
- Alex Rieth / Bass
- Sean Lang / Drums
Alunea Track-list:
- A Precipice. A Door
- Reunion
- Seed of the Night
- Speak Silence
- Truth to Form
- Edge of Forever
- We Could Fold the Stars
- Below Sun and Soil
Order Alunea here
A slam dunk success for Kardashev and their development as artists. You could scarcely hope for a more well-rounded, emotive, or interesting collection of excellent compositions metered with equally excellent performances. A must listen for 2025.
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Songwriting
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Musicianship
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Originality
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Production
