I must admit that I am quite sold on everything that The Artisan Era has been putting out recently. See last year’s unbelievable release by Singularity as an example. Montreal’s Sutrah have my continuing to pick my jaw off the floor with their 2020 EP Aletheia. In the bio description they are compared to Lykathea Aflame, Gorguts and Nile. I can hear tinges but to me this is one of the most original progressive melodic death metal releases I have heard in some time.
Starting off with the gorgeous track “Umwelt”, Sutrah deliver a nearly four minute instrumental that almost sounds like a shoegaze group until the drumming tempo picks up. The drumwork is done on this by none other than the great Kevin Paradis (Benighted, Mithirdatic, Ex Svart Crown). “Umwelt” really is a well done transitional instrumental that segues excellently into the second track “Lethe”. What an unbelievably catchy tune. The balance of melody and driving percussion continue to build and build. Every note on this EP is very trance inducing. The guitar work of Claude Leduc is outstanding.
I am so fascinating by this EP that I had to go back and listen to their debut 2017 album Dunes to really see the growth in the group. Something else that I find really interesting about this EP is the use of an instrument called a Gangsa. A gangsa is a type of metallophone that is used in Balinese and Javanese Gamelan music. There are times during the EP where it sounds like a moog synth is being used but I believe it might be this instrument. The third track “Dwell” almost acts as another instrumental building into the huge ending track “Genese”. “Genese” is the longest track on the EP clocking in at almost sixteen minutes. I cannot say enough good things about this EP.
I truly hope that this group either plays some festivals or tours the United States sometime soon because I want to see how this is pulled off live. This also reminds me a bit of England’s Mithras with Sutrah’s ability to create a mood and atmosphere within progressive death metal that really is their own sound. So far, this is the best EP I have heard in 2020. The year is young but seriously. Get on this. It is off the charts good.
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Thanks for the heads up, this is the only modern death metal I’ve liked in like the last 15 years. It has actual riffs, expansions on themes, and isn’t just scales/chugs metalcore pretending to be death metal. Anyone pretending to play modern death metal this century should listen to what this band is doing.
on Feb 29th, 2020 at 14:15Just heard this and Mithras immediately leapt to mind too, good reference.
on Nov 28th, 2020 at 11:31