2nd March 2025

Review: “Severe Barotrauma” by The Zoea

Search and somewhere in the realm of atmospheric Blackened Death Metal and you will find The Zoea, an oceanic horror themed project that, in the bands own words desires to capture both the suffocating hostility and beauty of the sea. Those themes are used as a vessel for metaphorical cryptic writings based on deep rooted personal struggles with both mental and physical health and naturally some of those harsh realities bleed through the bandages. Sonically the outfit are inspired by a broad sphere of influences, Portal, Nile and Godflesh all being mentioned however having polish drummer Krzysztof Klingbein (Deathspawn, Totenmesse, Belphegor) in the ranks adds another dimension to their sound…

In the patterns of “Cymothoa Magna” music echoes life as from the lush synths of the extended introduction when everything is fine, things turn ugly very quickly. The sense of ethereal beauty before the pain begins is stunning, the brutal roars of a beast from the black depths rising up to the surface is a twist in the tale you might not have seen coming. Accompanied by an artillery shelling in percussive battery and distorted rhythm guitars at breakneck pace, the lyrical narrative unfolds in abject horror. A harrowing tale of surgeons refusing to operate and remove a parasite is a clear and painful metaphor which resonates, the grit and integrity coming from the cathartic vent because while it’s introspective there is nothing woe is me about it. A chaotic solo is a nice touch, adding some sparkle to the hellscape before its bitter and twisted conclusion. “Severe Barotrauma” finds our protagonist drifting in a watery grave akin to the black depths of the Mariana Trench, dark and eerie atmospheres swirling in ambient texture. The vocals remain brutal but the melodies give the offering another dimension, keys adding a vibrant touch to the crushing guitars.

A thirteen and a half minute magnum opus of a track, “Eternal Ocean Trench” begins with the sounds of science fiction horror as machines are tinkered with. Seemingly from out of nowhere the opening the instrumentation comes crashing down, spine juddering guitars and pummelling percussion setting the tone long before the first verse. Trapped on in a personal hell, left alone to die on a shipwreck at the bottom of the ocean floor the protagonist gradually loses his mind, the flooded tomb offering no hope of escape. A maelstrom of rhythmic bludgeoning plays out with intricate drum fills evolving into blast beats and blackened guitar work to create a fitting soundscape for the horrors. Then comes a fleeting moment of clarity in Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds vibes before a final crushing verse. Whether it was intended to be a concept record or not, these three savage cuts play out like one, well crafted to sit together for a twenty three and a half minute assault on the senses that will leave you wondering what you just heard… [7.5/10]

Track Listing