Maestus - Deliquesce (2019)

Being huge suckers for heavily atmospheric releases, we instantly liked Maestus full-length release “Deliquesce”. Magically combining Atmospheric Doom Metal elements with Funeral Doom and some Black Metal influences, this release is an aural delight from start to finish. With four tracks delivering over 50 minutes of music, each song crafts an oppressive atmosphere that slowly chokes the listener with its sonic intensity.

Opening with the album title track, we have a 15-minute behemoth that opens with a ray of light as the lively atmospherics lead into gargantuan riffs and crushing growls. The band brilliantly knows how to mix repetition with atmosphere to create a very crushing mood. With all the elements of an old-school Funeral Doom masterpiece, “Black Oake” blends in dramatic tempo changes, lush synths and plenty fo head banging passages for any fan of the genre.

The pummeling “The Impotence of Hope” is our favorite track in this release thanks to its imposing riffs and dramatic tempo changes. We particularly love how the clean vocals are mixed in with the dramatic atmospheric synths and the weeping guitars. For nearly 11 minutes long, this track feels like an eternity of struggles between bleakness and raw aggression. The band does a great job in crafting tracks that slowly develop and keep the listener engaged with a plethora of nifty atmospherics and guitar riffs.

Closing with the monumental “Knell of Solemnity”, Maestus has managed to craft a Funeral Doom release that thanks to the heavy atmospheric component, you will forget about the repetitive nature of the genre. For over 50 minutes we were quite impressed with the musicianship and the band’s crafty songwriting skills. If you are looking for a powerful release that is both slow and crushing at the same time, look no further and give “Deliquesce” a try.

Label: Code666

Release: February 8th, 2019

Genre: Atmospheric Doom/Black Metal

Country: USA