At this point, Gaerea have become a band with expectations. There’s more talk about what a new release might sound like than there is talk about actual releases for many bands, as much of it negative as positive. And yet, somehow, Coma is my first Gaerea album, my first listen to what this Portuguese black metal powerhouse and their cathartic take on the genre has to offer.
My first reaction was… this is alright.
Coma‘s default offering is black metal of the warm-toned and melodramatic variety. However, if that is the filling of the sandwich, then Gaerea have piled the condiments high. There’s a shimmering blackgaze break here, a metalcore riff there, and post-metalisms all over the place. Those influences creep into the songwriting too, with many songs adopting the great crescendo build. It’s a very natural evolution for a band that places such an emphasis on an emotional edge to their music. All in all, it was powerful stuff and I bookmarked it for more listens.
Only for the second and third reactions to be much the same.
Gaerea‘s music defies close listening. At its best, it’s because it has me in a trance. At worst, it simply commands no attention at all. There is no middle way here. I can feel the irate gaze of the editing staff upon me now because I have made zero attempt to give you examples of what happens where, but that is the point I’m making. I can’t. Coma melds into one great wall of pleasantly violent music, the songs as distinct as fever dreams.
The end result is I must recommend Coma with a certain amount of ambiguity. Gaerea can certainly pen a powerful moment but the whole, while enjoyable, seems less than the sum of its parts. There were times I thought it worked best when playing in the background. There were times I thought it worked best when listening close and submersing myself in it. Neither turned out to be entirely true. All I can suggest is trying out Coma for yourself and seeing whether it snares you, or whether you just sleep right through it.
