France's Yyrkoon released an album called Occult Medicine a few years back that admittedly didn't really do a hell of a lot for me. Sure, I loved the brutal riffage and the ultra tasty and technical guitar solos, but the album itself sounded too much like much of the other death metal that I was coming across at the time. Well, with their brand new opus Unhealthy Opera, an album that sees Yyrkoon taking on some H.P. Lovecraft themes in their lyrics, the band seems to have found some new groove, as the songs flow a bit better, with more bottom end, crunchier guitar work, solos that are even more melodic, and some menacing growls that really work.
This is precision death metal all the way folks, as unrelenting and epic sounding as bands like Behemoth, Vader, Nile, Decapitation, Cannibal Corpse, and Morbid Angel deliver time and time again. The aura of Cthulhu hangs over tracks like the classical instrumental "Temple of Infinity" and the more brutal pieces like "Abnormal Intrusion", "Something Breathes" , and "Avatar Ceremony". With a relentless barrage of manic drum blasts and intricate yet monstrous guitar riffs, each piece has that mix of technical precision and brutality that will prompt extreme metal fans to raise the horns. Famed guitarist/producer Andy LaRocque even puts in a guest appearance on the song "Horror From the Sea".
For straight up technical death metal and old school thrash, you can't get much better than Unhealthy Opera. Geoffrey Gautier is slowly starting to really make a name for himself as one of death metal's underrated guitar players, and his pairing with Stef (who is also the singer) make for a truly venemous guitar team. This is some very good stuff, and I think I'm finally sold.
Track Listing
1. Something Breathes
2. Unhealty Opera
3. From The Depths
4. Avatar Ceremony
5. Temple Of Infinity
6. Abnormal Intrusion
7. Screaming Shores
8. The Book
9. Horror From The Sea
10. Lair
11. Of Madness
12. Injecting Dementia
13. Signs (Bonus Track)
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