MAUDITS is a relatively new band to the Metal scene, and they formed in France in 2022. "In Situ" is the band's debut album, and it has seven songs, and "Leftovers" is first. It has an atmospheric start…easing in with somber tones followed by light drumming and meaty bass notes. When the main melody comes to fruition, it's introspective and somber indeed, but it also swells like the evening tide. "Fall over" is another pensive piece, and because these are instrumentals, you have to feel them, in the sense that the vocals aren't there to reach out to you. The music flows like a soft river current, over darkness at times, and the tension is thick. A hardened riff seems to come from out of the blue, carrying the darkness with a swifter pace, and from there, the two opposing sounds wrestle it out.

The title track is much shorter, and it leaves some of the darkness behind. The strings are still quite somber, but the chirping of birds reminds you of some of the goodness in your life, if only for a few fleeting moments. "Roads" features sultry clean vocals along with a side of melancholy. I can't say enough about the bass guitar in the music so far…they use it so freely. "Precipice Part III" is the longest on the album, and it give the band plenty of time to explore. Darkness abounds once again, and they revel in it. It slowly develops into a sound that is built with layers, and it just makes my heart ache…the melodies are so simple yet quite touching. "Carre d'as" features some spoken words delivered straightforward, almost like a warning if you linger too long. In the background, electronics swirl with dissonant guitar riffs and light drumming, and again, the tension is thick.

"Lev-ken" is the final offering. Tension remains, but there are smoother tones along the ride. Every now and again, it turns off the path beyond and embraces the unfamiliarity and darkness that follows. If you search long enough, however, there are also brilliant moments of life. One of the things that the album does best is create a variety of moods. Some of them are depressing, others are introspective, and still others are somber. The differences are subtle, but each one can make you feel something completely different. That in a nutshell is the album…an offering of songs that you can unwrap and feel for yourself.