Artwork by: Niklas Sundin

Style: Melodic Death Metal, Symphonic Metal, Neoclassical Metal, Progressive Metal (Harsh Vocals)
Recommended for fans of: Kalmah, Shylmagoghnar, Dark Oath, Mors Principum Est
Country: France
Release date: 31 October 2025

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One of my favorite things about music—especially metal—is its ability to communicate moods, themes, vibes, et cetera, even when the lyrics are obscured, whether by a language barrier or vocal style. In the case of French metal trio, Aephanemer, it’s both: since 2013, they have conducted a rather vivacious blend of melodic and symphonic death metals, interweaving Kalmah-coded riffs with baroque swells and a neoclassical flair that, at times, evinces early Symphony X on 2x speed. Prokopton (2019) marked my formal introduction which, though it featured sparingly in my regular listening, nonetheless wove enough magic to bring me back for the follow-up, A Dream of Wilderness (2021), a decidedly beefier endeavor that felt like a level up across the board.

With a four-year gap between releases, the widest of their career, Aephanemer returned in 2025 with Utopie (and another gorgeous Niklas Sundin cover) and, to my chagrin, the album passed me by entirely. The life of the unpaid reviewer; there’s never enough time nor attention to dish out. But now I’m here to rectify my error and deliver unto you, dear readers, the verdict. So, is Utopie a true paradise, or a crypto-fascist nightmare world in disguise?

Aephanemer continue to operate under the adage that what isn’t broken doesn’t require fixing. Utopie follows in the footsteps of its predecessors, evident from the cinematic orchestral swirls and woodwind flutters of intro “Échos d’un Monde Perdu”. The Tolkien-y flute melody is taken up by ripping guitar on follow-up “Le Cimetière Marin”—courtesy of instrumental maestro Martin Hamiche, who also handles bass and orchestration—and from there we’re off to the races. Aephanemer hardly let up on the gas across the album’s fifty minutes, unleashing a fusillade of adventurous, caffeinated, and grand arrangements brimming with more whimsy than a fae and enough fury to put a would-be tyrant on the back foot. Hamiche’s guitar playing is fiery, full of neoclassical verve and melodeath swerve. His opening to “Par-delà le Mur des Siècles” reminds me of Elvenking at their most fun, and generally across Utopie, he shreds, solos, and trems with great aplomb. What’s always been impressive is how Hamiche blends styles together without ever compromising on Aephanemer’s fantastical heart. Utopie is no exception; even when the band is fully encased in some black metal shenanigans a’la “Chimère”, they never lose that sense of soaring adventure.

My favorite element of Aephanemer, though, has always been Mickaël Bonnevialle’s drumming. With music as busy and breakneck as theirs, it can be easy to lose track of, or miss entirely, individual moments. Bonnevialle is certainly not immune to this, but it’s largely been his playing that’s brought me back to Aephanemer’s works over the years. Through his dexterous and relentless kitwork, he creates this matryoshka effect wherein I find myself intently listening for all the little fills and flourishes he throws in—which, in turn, has me cracking open each song in search of the next nested piece of winsome instrumentation. Utopie sees him maintaining his status, whipping through savage blast beats (“Contrepoint”) before nailing some quick, splashy fill or groovy rhythm. Instrumental “La Rivière Souterraine” beautifully highlights Bonnevialle and Hamiche alike, affording them eight-plus minutes to state Aephanemer’s musical case, complete with neoclassical piano and ethereal chants to construct a properly epic, and animated, track that recalls in moments the grandeur of such vaunted works as Symphony X’s “Divine Wings of Tragedy”.

Rounding out these three musketeers is vocalist Marion Bascoul, whose goblin-y growls and banshee shrieks have maintained a surprising consistency across releases. She sticks entirely to French on Utopie, yet the barrier here is minimal; her vocals have always persisted as an instrument of texture and accoutrement to her fellow instrumentalists, rather than as a vehicle for discernible lyrics. Aephanemer has, for me, always been a vibes band, and like all of their personable traits, they’ve lost none of that here. My only issue with Bascoul is one that can be laid at the feet of many a death metal (and adjacent) vocal style: after a time, she can come off a bit one-note in her approach. There’s not much dynamism to her style, nor are there any particularly standout moments for her to really put a stamp on things. Still, she works for the material, as ever, and there’s far worse things for death metal vocals than lacking some dimension. Plus, for those who may not enjoy Bascoul’s performance, Utopie continues the band’s habit of including an instrumental version of the album alongside the original, so there’s options for everyone.

In a year that has, for me, largely rewarded consistency (Sleep Token, Novembers Doom, Fallujah, Starset), it’s great to see Aephanemer holding strong. Their wild mixture of neoclassical prog, razored melodeath, and theatrical black metal has always been so wonderfully theirs, and Utopie sees them refusing to make concessions or change approaches. For some, especially those less inclined towards their earlier efforts, this may stand as something of a black mark. For me, Utopie is a reminder of just how fun this band is. I don’t need them to reinvent a wheel, I just need them to do what they do—and Utopie fulfills that promise with a clutch of addictively entertaining tracks that, as always, reward repeat listens with all sorts of nestled flourishes and moments. We may have a dream of wilderness, but stability is required for a functional utopia, after all.

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Recommended tracks: La Règle du Jeu, Par-delà le Mur des Siècles, Chimère, La Rivière Souterraine, Utopie (I+II)
You may also like: Euphoreon, Suotana, Nothgard, Frosttide
Final verdict: 8/10

Related links: Bandcamp | Facebook | Instagram | Metal-Archives

Label: Nuclear Blast Records

Aephanemer is:
– Martin Hamiche (guitars, bass, orchestration)
– Mickaël Bonnevialle (drums)
– Marion Bascoul (vocals)