ALBUM REVIEW: Apexapien – Atræ Bilis
The death metal revival is showing no signs of slowing down with bands aplenty showcasing that there is still very much life in metal’s most vicious genre. After catching attention through last year’s excellent Divinihility EP, Canada’s ATRÆ BILIS have momentum on their side and now, debut album, Apexapien, is here. And it’s truly a monster of a record, one in which sets the band on course to spread their wings and soar.
Walking a tightrope between dizzying technicality and accessible crushing groove, Apexapien does not fuck about. In fact, over the course of the record, the band showcase more than enough quality to catapult themselves into the upper echelons of the modern scene.
Whilst instrumental opener Theta is a fine slab of riffing brutality, it is with Lore Beyond Bone where ATRÆ BILIS really throw down the gauntlet and showcase their worth. Bleeding seamlessly with the instrumental opener, instantly, the band launch into top gear as a blistering barrage of groove-laden riffing and thundering drums pack a mighty punch whilst vocalist Jordan Berglund‘s monstrous vocals cut through the mix effectively. The technicality in the guitarwork from David Stepanavicius is particularly impressive as they bend and contort and the curveball of a more atmospheric and melodic passage showcases that the band are so much more dynamic than one might originally think. An impressive start to the record indeed.
From there, ATRÆ BILIS continue to unleash their aural wrecking ball and the results are, quite frankly, jaw-dropping. By The Hierophant’s Maw is a hulking slab of death metal goodness thanks to its mid-tempo chug and Berglund‘s display of a dynamic range of shrieks and guttural bellows, Open The Effigy‘s dizzying rhythms are strong enough to cause a serious case of vertigo and Into The Seas of Sepsis has enough aural power to level an entire building. When the band really loosen the shackles and go for the jugular, the results are emphatically brilliant.
As it continues to dazzle and impress, it’s clear that Apexapien is an incredibly well rounded and precise release. Clocking in at 32 minutes, the fat has very much been trimmed here and rarely is the immersion shattered by a meandering misstep or miscalculated attempt at aural experimentation. That said though, ATRÆ BILIS are not a one trick pony. Although the record strictly falls under the death metal style, the variation in tempo, mood and the odd splash of more atmospherics musical components, such as the slick and enticing passage found in Bacterium Abloom or epic album closer To Entomb The Aetherworld, ensures that your attention is gripped throughout the record’s runtime. With music of this ilk, it’s so impressive that the band are able to ensnare your focus from the first moment to the last.
With Apexapien, ATRÆ BILIS have built on the goodwill established with Divinihility and then some. Lean and mean, their debut effort more than showcases the quality within their ranks and their finely tuned approach to technical-laden death metal is simply exquisite. Given the sheer strength of the death metal scene at present, there is a niggling doubt that ATRÆ BILIS could be drowned out in the noise and given the sheer strength of Apexapien, that would be criminal. Make no mistake, this is modern death metal at its utmost best.
Rating: 9/10
Apexapien is out now via 20 Buck Spin.
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