Acathexis is an incredibly special band for me. Their debut self-titled album was my personal album of the year in 2019, and it helped me through a lot of dark times in that point of my life. The trio of Dany Tee, Déhà, and Jake Buczarski (Mare Cognitum) worked in great synergy with each other, with massive vocals, beautiful trem-blasted guitar sections, and incredibly impressive drumming. I initially thought this project would be a one-off, but when Immerse was finally announced to the world I was cautiously optimistic. I’ve been let down by follow-ups to great albums in the past, and I’m quite pleased to say that Immerse is a worthy follow-up to Acathexis.
For those going into Immerse and expecting a riff-driven black metal album, prepare to be disappointed. Acathexis has a unique sound that sets them apart from other black metal bands—a crushing, comforting cocoon of bleakness that completely and utterly envelops the listener. This was present on Acathexis, and it’s back on Immerse. Each song here is long, yet each song is given ample time to breathe, and each one ebbs and flows between fierce screams amidst a deluge of furious trem-picked guitar akin to a pounding rainstorm, to gentler passages that build to more furious passages. The strongest point across the entire record, however, is the absolutely remarkable vocal performance, courtesy of Dany Tee. It’s his best vocal performance to date, alternating between unbelievable shrieks and strangled rasps, and at points sounding like two different vocalists. Album highlight “Adrift in Endless Tides” is the prime example of this style of black metal done correctly: incredibly meditative, and the song will wash over you while making its twelve minutes feel like five.
Other notable points include the staggering epic “A Slow, Weary Wind”. This is Acathexis’ longest song to date, and it feels like a worthy culmination of what the band has accomplished up to this point with multiple movements in the song itself, from gentle builds to furious blasts. That being said, it’s also a slight misstep for Immerse. If the closing track was a tad bit shorter, it would go a long way, seeing as how the song tends to be a bit too long. The other problem I find with this album is that it’s incredibly quiet, and could stand to be louder by a few notches for better effect. Critiques aside, I am enamored with this record, and will be coming back to it a lot throughout the year.
