This is the debut album from Swiss post-metal band De l’Abîme Naît l’Aube.
De l’Abîme Naît l’Aube play post-metal that’s laced with elements taken from post-rock and blackgaze, alongside ritualistic influences. Think a mix of bands such as Alcest, Amenra, Vermilia, and Year of No Light, and you’ll be part of the way there. Across 53 minutes Rituel : Initiation takes the listener on a journey into De l’Abîme Naît l’Aube’s comprehensive atmospheric world.
The music of Rituel : Initiation is well-crafted and considered. It’s material that has been approached from a holistic artistic vision, from the layers of sound to the emotional foundations to the visual aesthetics. De l’Abîme Naît l’Aube create their music gradually and with confidence, but also benefit from a feeling of free, loose expression that imbues the songs with vitality. I expect the music has had a great deal of time and effort poured into it, with every aspect being meticulously planned, examined, and evaluated, yet it still retains an exploratory organic feel that’s compelling.
The music is rooted in post-metal, demonstrating a capable understanding of the classic build/release mechanics you’d expect to see. This has been merged at a cellular level with sprawling post-rock intricacy, lending a more delicate and involved edge to the harsher, heavier aspects. Onto this you’ll find blackgaze resplendence, bringing colourful fragility to the music. Finally, the ritualistic elements provide another level of engagement, and a wider set of tools for the band to utilise.
The four songs, (rounded out by a shorter mood piece), all exhibit the vast range of influences that have gone into their creation, with different facets emphasised wherever they are best used. They flow well, allowing Rituel : Initiation to at once be a collection of five individual entities, but also a well-realised cohesive whole. De l’Abîme Naît l’Aube build and sustain an immersive experience from start to finish, flooding the listener with absorbing atmospheres of rich, luscious depth.
Rituel : Initiation is an ambitious debut release, but the band’s vision and passionate delivery has seen them through. De l’Abîme Naît l’Aube have impressed, producing a record of scope and immensity that is worth spending the required time with to fully engage with. Rituel : Initiation is a remarkably strong album, showcasing how good multifaceted post-metal can be in the right hands.
A captivating work of beauty and fascination. Essential listening.
Wonderbox Metal 