Style: Tech/Melo Death/Black (mixed vocals)
Review by: Evan
Country: USA
Release date: July 2nd, 2021
Usually when writing a review, or otherwise evaluating a piece of music or art, one looks for similar works for comparison. When a band creates from a variety of disparate influences a new sound, along with the excitement and novelty, there is a difficulty of evaluation. After all, it is far easier to evaluate when comparison is possible. Cosmic Simulacra is an album that makes one want to leave the FFOs blank at the bottom of the page, and scratch their head at the impossibility of reviewing where comparisons are so difficult.
To start it would be impossible to label the genre of Cosmic SImulacra without sounding like one of those horribly overused genre-salad jokes. For simplicity’s sake, Cosmic SImulacra is primarily composed of melodic black metal and technical death metal, mixed with a variety of influences from modern progressive music, with a touch of the symphonic. There is not a band I have heard that mixes these styles in all too similar a way to No Living Witness, so to avoid admitting a potential gap in my knowledge, I am forced to conclude that they are the only band with this sound. But since I am obligated to fill out the FFOs section, imagine the melodic black parts of Enslaved mixed with The Faceless.
All this rambling about novelty begs the all-important question that surely everyone is asking: does it work? The vast majority of the time the answer is yes. Alternations between melo-black tremolo picking and tech death speed and aggression keep the album interesting and the listeners on their toes. Vocals from both styles are effectively alternated as well, including the occasional use of cleans. The opening track on the album “Discarded Ember from the Universal Flame” is perhaps the best representation of the sound on the album, demonstrating strong builds, and the signature rapid shifts between styles. The album does in many ways stick to its own formula, but this formula is novel enough that this is only a strength.
There are a few places, particularly toward the end in the album’s longer songs, where it feels the stylistic ambition is taken to far too extreme. A continued emphasis on merging styles leads to ever so slight bloating, and an occasional sense of meandering and disjointment. Potentially the song-writing in certain places such as these could use a touch of refinement. However, these criticisms are highly overshadowed by the strength and originality of the first half of the album.
Overall, Cosmic Simulacra presents a unique melding of styles that usually works quite well. Due to its diverse influences, many fans across genre lines will find something to love in its ambitious experimentation.
Recommended tracks: Discarded Ember from the Universal Flame, Dimensions of Diviner’s Sage, Sailing on a Cardboard Sea
Recommended for fans of: Enslaved, The Faceless (if they were mixed together)
Final verdict: 7.5/10
Related links: Bandcamp | Spotify | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives page
Label: Independent
No Living Witness is:
– LJ (vocals)
– Sam Haglund (guitars/vocals)
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