AD VITAM INFERNAL is a death metal band from France, who formed in 2017. “Le ballet des anges,” is their second full-length album. From what I can gather, it’s either about or based on the ballet of the same name, which tells the story of an angel who falls to earth to experience what it means to be human. I cannot offer much in the way of commentary about their lyrics in relation to the ballet, as I am unfamiliar with it. What I can offer is commentary about how goddamn great this album is and the reasons why. The production has a lot more depth than most bands this extreme–and it works in its favor as it captures every massive detail. There is a modern feel to it as well, offering a regal quality to the music especially for the instrumental intro. It sets up the album in a bombastic fashion that compliments the rest of it. Of course, the intro is instrumental music without any metal elements but the ideas and themes of the song carry over to the other tracks. They might all be death metal but they are as bombastic, engaging, and sweeping in their own way. This is definitely an album that never lets up for a second but it’s smart about it.

The overall sound is a sterling mix of brutal death with some OSDM tednancies, especially in their groovier moments. However, this isn’t base level caveman stomping, either. Of course, there is nothing wrong with that style but the themes of the album demand more. And the band provides that depth with a lot of different musical twists, much of which is presented in a technical way. But it isn’t a modern “widdly wham” tech but more in the style of IMMOLATION or HATE ETERNAL–complicated riffs that offer changes but not overly complicated and nothing I would truly label as technical death metal because it’s just not presented in a flashy way. The technical prowess is evident but it’s never the only focus and it pummels and kills just as much as it dazzles. In that respect, there is a certain purity throughout the album that cannot be denied. There is a certain charm to music that is razor sharp, focused, and barbarous. The band has a firm grasp on their vision and it is a suffocating choke all that is great in death metal.

After the aforementioned “The Overture” song opens the album, “And the Watchers Will be Frightened,” bursts forth like a wild animal. Was it caged for too long? Is it injured? It’s going to deal high levels of damage, regardless. Around the halfway mark, the air around the album is palpable with crushing riffs and drums, which are apparently programmed but they sound insane. It’s in moments like this when their sound is totally encompassing and nearly incomprehensible. “Asael (God has made…)" goes for the throat immediately—listen to those riffs…how is it possible to play that fast yet with such tight precision? The mad, barking death growls are their own instrument, another layer on top of an already dense structure. After the halfway mark, just before the solo, the band finds this groove that is just a musical feeding frenzy. The solo itself begins with an unique tone as it builds its way towards a shred fest.

Some of the best riffs on the album appear on “A Peaceful Place to Wait….” and the song is anything but peaceful. The mid tempo is crushing, the vocals playing off the riffs in a huge way. The band moves as a raging sea, slamming against the rocking shore. The tone is ominous and the ever forward march is even a little scary. I love the super thick riffs after the three minute mark and I found myself doing a lovely slow motion headbang while typing this sentence. “I Saw Everything,” has to be among the most blistering death metal songs I’ve heard all year. The band straight up brings it–this is one of those that captures the feelings that death metal is supposed to weld like a sword. The last 40 seconds or so are just….wow! If they play this song live, people just might die in the pit. Or if they are someone old like me, have a heart palpitation and go into a coma.

The final song, "Everyone, Everywhere"  ends the album perfectly, providing all the elements into a three and a half minute barn burner. If you like this song, the album will speak to you. If you don’t like it, then you probably don’t like extreme metal. Sorry not sorry. The guitar solo is a hyrid beast of mind numbing notes and depravity. Of course, that's  a solid way to describe the album as a whole! AD VITAM INFERNAL'S "Le ballet des anges," is a crushing album in many ways with a lot more dynamics and degrees to that crush than a lot of other bands in this style can pull off. This is a year end banger that makes a strong case for how great of a state death metal is in near 2024's demise.