Gaerea - Coma (2024)

Unleashing the most cathartic and crushing release of 2024, today we have Gaerea and their latest opus “Coma”. Constantly rising through the ranks in the scene, over the last few years their sound has gotten sharper and yet has a visceral rawness that very few bands can achieve. With this release, the band sets an impossibly high standard through ten tracks and over 50 minutes of devastating music. If you thought their previous release was impressive, this one blows it out of the water.

Opening with the fierce “The Poet’s Ballet”, we get a very moody piece that starts in a very fragile and dreamy state and it masterfully transitions to blasting drums, intricate guitar work and powerful vocals. The band’s ability to create piercing riffs and masterful tempo changes makes songs like “Hope Shatters”, “Suspended” and “World Ablaze” be cathartic experiences with just the right amount of melody and melancholy thrown into a very crushing package.

Never featuring a dull moment, the album title track has that commanding Behemoth-esque nature of the genre thanks to crushing atmospherics and dreamy interludes to keep it dynamic and engaging. As tracks like “Wilted Flower”, “Reborn”, and “Shapeshifter” make their way, we also hear that fresh and exciting influence of more modern Black Metal/Post-Black Metal outfits like Harakiri For The Sky, Mgła, Anomalie, etc. This allows Gaerea to create a very unique brand of music that feels like a bag of bricks to the face while oozing melancholy and flair.

Closing with the melodic onslaughts of “Kingdom of Thorns” we are left blown away with how good has Gaerea gotten over the last few years. With “Coma” the band delivers their finest and most accomplished work to date, filled with ravaging intensity and elegant melancholy, creating a truly masterful release. If you like Black Metal that is intense and well polished and are not afraid of melancholy, this is one release you do not want to miss. Also, make sure to catch their intense live shows as they are touring in North America soon.

Label: Season of Mist

Release: October 25th, 2024

Genre: Black Metal

Country: Portugal