Esoctrilihum are to me one of those bands that have always been intriguing but never fulfilling. Asthaghul often opts for an abrasive sound, frantic bursts of blackened death metal and winding song structures in a way that does not quite come together, likely because the man produces so much material at a high pace. It should be said that no Esoctrilihum album seems to do the same thing entirely, yet they all share the same flaw in that the songwriting is less important than the general sound of the music. For some this will be great, a mood to have in the background that sounds equal measures grand, pummeling and mystical. Funeral quickly sets itself apart by again trying out new ideas with the 12 minute long title track being some of the slowest and most atmospheric material I have heard from this act. What hits first is the production, which is sharp, loud and annoyingly trebly on the metal side while being a good fit for the symphonic and dungeon synth like melodies in the background. Everything sounds grand and when the guitars spend time outside of what they usually do in an Esoctrilihum song, the material is successful in conjuring some real atmosphere. This symphonic side is something that has sat in the background on previous efforts yet come up front and centre now. You could call this Esoctrilihum‘s most melodic work to date.
Lest you be fooled by the slow pace of “Funeral”, the following track ramps up the intensity and much of the album continues the battle between these two moods. The symphonic parts carry a lot of this album as they add a component of mood to the chaotic riffing that has been rare in Asthaghul‘s past work. This change makes the material more varied and if this was all I would be prepared to call this the first truly good album I have heard from Esoctrilihum. Alas, after releasing an actually well cut album last year, Asthaghul has let go and filled this album to the brim with material; the other key flaw for the band returns with a near 80 minute runtime. It is a lot of material to take in with this kind of sharp production and intense music. There are riffs and song ideas here that I enjoy, as usual. But they are offset by moments going on for too long and the usual chanted vocals that are as annoying as ever, cleanly sung or not. Starting out 2023 with an Esoctrilihum album I do not dislike is not something I expected and I will see if it grows on me throughout the year. For now, the usual flaws make that seem unlikely.
