I reviewed DI’AUL’s Abracamacabra back in 2022 and mistakenly reported that they had been around for 22 years (it was 12 years at the time). Three years later I’m reviewing their new latest album, EvAAvE, and they still haven’t been around for 22 years. Seven more years and I’ll finally be right. But anyway, on February 7, 2025, DI’AUL releases EvAAvE via Minotauro Records, promoted by the NeeCee Agency. It is like a vicious mire—sludgy, deep, and lethal.

Musically the album was “recorded entirely live and using only analog equipment” giving its already down-tuned energy even more depth. Coupled with that are the album’s lyrics which promo material describes as ranging “from dreamlike imagery to visceral reflections, alternating introspection and social critique.” The first video, “Tar Wings,” in fact, takes inspiration from Sylvia Plath and William Blake and is “about a generation consumed between living and dying, in a limbo that has no time or place.” Other poetical influences include Amelia Rosselli and then there are Biblical and mythological references and even some Freud to make it interesting—So, yeah, deep stuff. And we all know metalheads are incurable nerds, so perfect material to delve into and get lost in.

My go-to tracks include the opener “Duende” which wonders hither and yon across said mire—twin doom towers bookending the track, a melodic break at mid-track, and a killer lead solo at the tail end of the break. Altogether a curious, multi-layered track. Then “Succubi et Incubi” . . . because succubi, I mean, did you have to ask? How can I describe this track? Tidal, the track is positively tidal. And then there’s this ditty that comes in at the end that had me searching Google up and down, probably ending up on all kinds of watch lists.

Third on my list of standouts is “Geosmina.” Love the vocals on this one. Cosimo gets all visceral. And on the esoteric side, geosmin is the chemical that makes that earthy smell that rises up after a hard rain . . . which matches Cosimo’s vocal performance on the piece as well as the whole sludge effect of the entire album. Good second option for the album title. Final on my list is the closer and title-track, “EvAAve.” Easily the strongest track on the album. The last one minute is sludge gold.

Album by album you can see DI’AUL evolving and growing. EvAAvE is a definite inflection point. It’s not an album for a quick metal fix, rather it’s more of an album to explore and to sift out the different layers, both musically and lyrically.