Review: “Blissful Death” by Xenotheory

“For this second album, Blissful Death, we went all in, pouring our heart and soul into 45 minutes of unrelenting auditory warfare. Building on the foundation laid by Dawn of an Eyeless Realm, we doubled the intensity and complexity, evolving into 11 brutal tracks that blend Deathcore with the crushing weight of Slam, the intricate structures of Progressive Metal, and the dark, suffocating atmosphere of Black Metal. This time, we focused on creating an immersive, organic wall of sound that draws listeners into a chaotic yet meticulously crafted experience. Every note is calculated chaos, every riff a descent into madness, pushing boundaries while staying true to our aggressive ethos. This album is not just a continuation—it’s a statement, a raw and violent evolution of everything we’ve been building toward” ~ Xenotheory

Created in 2021 by guitarist duo Florent Lambert and Adrien Laplace, Xenotheory began with the intent to merge two vastly different genres: Slam and Progressive Metal. Fuelled by a desire to push musical boundaries and to create a sound both brutal and technical, they recruited Léo Dieleman on bass and vocalist Nicolas Cardoso before releasing their first album in June 2022. Titled “Dawn of an Eyeless Realm“, that tackles themes as wide ranging as consumerism, environmentalism and feminism, weaving them into a dark science fiction universe, heavily inspired by the Alien saga. Alien Slamming Deathcore was born in Paris…

Something that is rarely associated with Deathcore is a cinematic quality but as the ominous sounds of “Resurrection” begin that very much the feeling. A brutal, skull obliterating cut of rumbling bass and menacing guitars, it finds Cardoso spitting as much fire as your ear drums can handle. “The Chasm” then rolls up like a conjoined twin with the same science fiction horror style synth sounds lurking in the background creating a dark and foreboding atmosphere. The difference is the bombastic nature of the mid-tempo riffs, putting so much spine juddering bounce in the mosh pit form the very start that they knock you into next week. A disorientating horror film sample adds a moment of madness before “Ozymandias”, a name that can refer to a tyrant, a dictator, a megalomaniac; someone or something of immense size, a colossus hits with undeniable Deathcore Groove. Slamming Death growls from Cardoso increase the intensity as the pummelling begins, synths adding an ethereal touch in the background. A punishment beating from which there are no survivors, its heavier than an anvil as the ferocious blood gargling vocals match the spirit of blunt force trauma all the way to the disturbing bitter end. Another sample gives fleeting respite as a poem by Percy Bysshe Shelly gives a haunting moment before “Eclipse” bites at the neck like a ravenous wolf. After the savage first half there are a couple of passages that border on beatdown and will bring out the two steppers live, the ebb and flow between the eerie ambient moments cunningly crafted.

No self respecting Deathcore record is complete without at least one guest vocal appearance and given the brutal nature of this offering there is one man who immediately springs to mind. Dan Tucker of Crown Magnetar is the obvious choice and lends his throat masterfully to “The Call“, a cut that goes off like a Molotov Cocktail. The jackhammer footwork is as immense as the atmospherics are crushing, the haunting synths ensuring the band aren’t dependent on the guitars alone for this intense skull battering. Chugging guitars rumble like the belly of a beast awoken from slumber and in need of feast after famine as “I Nimrod” takes shape, the four piece playing with Downtempo Deathcore structures as they cut their way through the urban jungle one blood bag at a time. The building a battery acid nausea sense that something wicked this way comes has been mastered. Spitting and snarling “What Lies Below” scalds like the hot breath of a dragon burning the ear canals all the way to the cranium, the guitar work once again impressing in the context of this cinematic Deathcore record. Playing with textures “The Fortieth Night” hits like being broadsided by a truck as you join the freeway, the band shifting gears between low and slow almost downtempo in the first half before stepping up like a vampire sensing blood.

A near seven minute Deathcore cut might not be everyone’s cup of hot beverage but “Son of Man” finds Xenotheory reaching critical mass aided and abetted by the throats of Jason Gerhard of Kanine and Danny Louzon of Hurakan. It once again finds them moving through tempo changes like the shifting sands of the Sahara, the Slam verse from Gerhard enough to flatten cities. Bleak sounds follow as blast beats decimate the weak, the sense of tension one you can cut with a knife. Obliterating any brain cells you have left “Le Dixième Cercle (part 1)” also known as “The Tenth Circle” leaves scorch marks on the ground in its wake, the horror aesthetic arguably being pushed as far as it can go within the context of the Deathcore genre. A spoken word sets off “Le Dixième Cercle (part 2)” like a spark igniting fuel, the track one final blast beat laden bludgeoning for good measure. Front loaded with razor sharp riffs as the band create a sonic abrasion from which there is no return, this one finishes on a moment where everything drops out to leave eerie John Carpenter movie inspired keys in grand finale [8/10]

Track Listing

1. Resurrection
2. The Chasm
3. Ozymandias
4. Eclipse
5. The Call (ft. Dan Tucker of Crown Magnetar)
6. I Nimrod
7. What Lies Below
8. The Fortieth Night
9. Son of Man (ft. Jason Gerhard of Kanine and Danny Louzon of Hurakan)
10. Le Dixième Cercle (part 1)
11. Le Dixième Cercle (part 2)

“Blissful Death” by Xenotheory is out 6th December 2024 and is available over at bandcamp