Jupiterian – Terraforming (2017)

Delivering one of the most engaging and crushing Death/Doom/Sludge Metal releases of 2017, today we have Jupiterian and their sophomore release “Terraforming”. Unleashing a unique mix of atmospheric elements with traditional Doom/Sludge riffs, the band has crafted over 38 minutes of music that will keep you at the edge of your seat while clamoring for more.

The release immediately sets the tone with the slowly building atmosphere crafted in “Matriarch”. Crafting a powerful wall of sound, the guitars are quite punishing and quite relentless from the start. As “Unearthly Glow” rolls around, we get a more structured Death/Doom dynamic with powerful growls and weeping guitar leads, all tucked between crushing riffs and a very tight tempo.

Keeping things highly atmospheric and oppressive, “Forefathers” takes advantage of the mood to deliver yet another demoralizing blow filled with incisive riffs and raw emotion. Feeling a bit out of place and more of a filler than anything else, the album title track features Maurice de Jong of Gnaw Their Tongues and while ‘odd’ and creepy, it just seems to kill the flow of the release for us.

Things instantly get back on track with the brilliant “Us and them”, a track that slowly builds up with intricate drum patterns and very well layered guitars that create a feeling of unrest. Sludgy elements are perfectly introduced to keep the suspense of this track as it winds down. Closing the album, we have the more traditional “Sol”, with this song the band manages to showcase their versatility and knack for crafting powerful and effective songs.

Overall, “Terraforming” is a great album that shakes things up a bit and delivers a fresh perspective on the Death/Doom/Sludge Metal landscape. While think the whole ‘let’s wear a hood to look kvlt’ gimmick is a bit overdone in the Black Metal scene, it does set Jupiterian apart from other bands in this genre. Luckily, the band’s music transcends their looks and makes them one of the bands to keep an eye out in the future.

Label: Transcending Obscurity Records

Release: November 15th, 2017

Genre: Atmospheric Death/Doom/Sludge Metal

Country: Brazil