"The Illusion of Reach" is what we secretly want Déhà to do: High quality Depressive (Black) metal, with these Post-Rock influences making you unaware if you'll be digging more until you're in your grave, or being lifted higher that clouds in the sky. This 60+ minutes of “losing yourself” album is the perfect soundtrack for any kind of situation where you just need raw emotion, harsh soul meditation, and a way to open doors to exit your mental comfort zone, so you can think and overthink. The album has six songs.

“Nothing Else” is first. Soft, depressive tones saunter out of the gate, almost like fog spreading slowly, and vocal screams mark his deep and tortured anguish. The song shifts however right before the half-way point to more lively and positive tones. From there, the struggle between these competing sounds continues. “Anymore” hears the angry, raging voice inside his head finally settle down. But back come the tortured vocals, and they are a constant on the album so far. “Post-Traumatic Sun” is another song that begins with smooth, melancholy tones that has a slow build of layers in the guitars. The image it brings to my mind is grey…grey for miles. The sky is darkest before dawn, as the saying goes.

“The Hands of Time” is another song that begins with smooth guitar. It segues into louder guitar and more tortured vocals. Yet, the guitar hold back the flood of emotions that are threatening to overtake you. Slowly, they leak out, a little at first, and then the river flows. “Mind Over Matter” is the longest on the album, at 16 minutes. There is plenty of room for exploration, and it’s like watching a passing storm. First, the seemingly benign skies grey, the wind picks up, black clouds roll in, and then the deluge begins without warning. All the time the storm rages, you just think about the here and now, and how you can get out of it. But, as with many things, it soon passes. The sweet smell of ozone occurs after.

“Epi” closes the album. The calm that follows chaos is almost deafening. Soft, chilling piano notes are the medium for the song. On the album, listeners are drawn into a harrowing narrative of loss and sacrifice, where hope becomes a distant memory and the shadows reign supreme. Yet, amidst the despair, there remains a flicker of light, a reminder of the courage and determination that once illuminated the world. With its haunting melodies, and constant torture, “The Illusion of Reach” is an eerie reminder of the fragile nature of existence and the relentless march of time. It is a poignant ode to lost light, a testament to the enduring power of music to evoke emotion and inspire reflection.