DOWNFALL OF GAIA is a German band that formed in 2008.  Theirs is a massive sound that is an amalgamation of influences from Sludge, Hardcore, Crust, and Black Metal to Post Metal.  Perhaps it would be more fitting to deem them Extreme Metal.  "Ethic of Radical Finitude" is the band's fifth full-length and will be released on February 8, 2019 on Metal Blade Records.

The album opens with "Seduced by...".  It provides a surreal, ambient air.  Long delays accentuate the clean guitars with some having the effect of sounding like whales conversing in the deep.  A brutal blast beat coupled with Black Metal-styled guitars properly start the album with "The Grotesque Illusion of Being".  When the vocals come in, it is clear that there is a definite Hardcore influence on the band due to the sheer rage and intensity.  Soon, the music relents with a solid groove, a welcome diversion and a breath of fresh air.  The Post Black Metal tag becomes evident when things clean up and both guitars are mired with heaping piles of effects creating a unique texture.  One and a half songs in, and I've already taken the bait and am firmly hooked on the line.

The album truly takes off from there.  Myriad peaks and valleys are crossed as the music moves ever forward.  The two longest songs, "We Pursue the Serpent of Time" and "Guided Through a Starless Night," tracks three and four respectively, showcase the band's more experimental side.  The key word for the guitar performance is texture.  The guitar performance appears to be approached at times, particularly in the most expressive parts, in much the same way as Goth legend Robert Smith from THE CURE constructs many of his textured masterpieces.  While one guitar is focused on a frantic tremolo-picked part, the other at times is letting effects-drenched chords ring out infinitely.  This combination of what were once thought of as disparate styles is what is helping DOWNFALL OF GAIA move Extreme Metal further ahead creatively and conceptually.

It is very rare, especially when inundated with the amount of music a journalist endures, to hear a band that truly speaks to you.  I cannot remember how many times I've listened to this album straight through to find it over seemingly far too soon.  DOWNFALL OF GAIA is an immensely talented band that incorporates elements from the best ends of Metal and heavy music in general.  At times, one can hear the esoteric vibe of NEUROSIS, the raunchy Doom of ELECTRIC WIZARD, Crust courtesy of AMEBIX, and forward-thinking Black Metal such as bands like AGALLOCH, WOLVES IN THE THRONE ROOM, and DER WEG EINER FREIHEIT.  The album, and the band's sound overall, works so well because this vast array of influences is blended in such a way that they truly shape their sound in a succinct, palpable fashion.

This is the sound of the future.  The scene is lucky to have these guys at the end of the day.  By expanding the collective consciousness of listeners, they are paying the most effable tribute to their heroes.  Certainly, this release will remain on my radar for quite some time and could possibly be one of the very best of the year.  Get this now!