IXION is a French atmospheric doom metal band from France. They formed in 2004 and “Extinction,” is one of two EPs they have out this year. They have released four full-length albums and a demo. The album isn’t overly heavy like a lot of doom albums but it’s weaved together by layers of textures and a thick atmosphere. The way the EP combines lighter, subtle tones with the oppressive style of doom is impressive. The production/and mix helps grab all the little details and bring them to the listener in a smooth, subtle way. The five songs on the EP definitely washed and enveloped me as I took this short but sweet ride. It’s just five songs so I will say a little something about each one. The first song, “The Withering of the Flesh,” begins with gentle, clean tones as the song builds up towards the guitar and drums. Despite it’s quiet nature, the song sounds full and expansive, which could be said for the EP as a whole. The clean vocals are great—smooth but sorrowful. At the halfway mark, the band takes a minimalist approach but pairs it with low death growls–it sounds amazing.

The second song, “In Fear of the Machine,” has a mechanical feel to it and the energy around the song is nervous. The growls help with the trepidation but the subtle keys and clean vocals actually resonate a smidgen of hope. The last couple of minutes are stark riffs and the keys building up the climax. Next up is “The Weight of Ignorance,” has a sweltering atmosphere as the riffs take a more simple route but lay down a thick blanket on top of the atmosphere. Much of the vocals are layered with the two styles mix, adding to the band’s ability to be both heavy and serene at the same time. “A Chimeric Dream Part 1” has an almost poppy, jaunty tempo in places but it works in the context of the album. Although still providing plenty of doom, this song is catchy and more vocal oriented. A nice surprise! The album ends with “Afterlife,” and it’s basically divided into two halves. The first half is intense and straight up doom while the final half is clean keys. A very nice way to end the album.

“Extinction” is an interesting little EP and it's worth carving out a spare 20 minutes to get lost into their unique, fresh sound.