AN NCS EP PREMIERE (AND A REVIEW): ADELON — “RESURGENCE”

Metaphorically speaking, most metal bands have a core stylistic foundation around which they might then add other embellishments — or not. To switch up the metaphor, they might have a fundamental DNA, then spliced with other genetic strands to create a hybrid of sound — or not.

In the case of the Swiss band Adelon, whose four-song debut EP Resurgence we’re premiering today in advance of its June 21 release, they point to the strong influence on their music of Gojira and Decapitated, suggesting that their own foundations are themselves a multi-faceted structure of death-metal groove and technicality, even before they add additional embellishments and hybridized strands (which indeed they do, in abundance).

By the time all the hybridizing is in place, it becomes considerably more difficult to separate foundation from everything else that goes into the final edifice, which is in fact much less of an edifice than a constantly morphing dreamscape, in which prog-metal and even elements of jazz play significant roles, along with all the obliterating grooves and the tech-death fireworks.

Photo by Lucie Herter Massé

Adelon begin the EP with “Fleshless Vertebrae“. They introduce it with haunting piano keys and increasingly frightening synths, and then begin bludgeoning, battering, and roaring. It’s a cold and cruel infliction of thundering brutality, but the band also create sensations of crazed delirium with rapidly squirming and darting arpeggios, blistering drum fusillades, wailing synths, and gagging screeches from a strangled throat.

But there’s still more to come. The band repeatedly jolt and jar their listeners, but they also bring in a deliciously swirling guitar solo with a prog-metal influence, magically rippling keys, ethereal synth waves, enraged screams, and even a slow and smoky saxophone solo that sways and soars in mesmerizing fashion.

All of which is to say that Adelon pack a tremendous amount of variety into this one song, turning it into a thrilling musical roller-coaster ride (we’re full of metaphors today!) replete with bone-smashing grooves, impressive technical pyrotechnics, monstrous vocal tirades, and elegant, even soulful, melody. Equally notable, it all holds together very well.

They follow that head-spinner and skull-smasher with another one. If anything, “Monisme” is an even more exuberant sequence of twists and turns. It blares and gallops, swirls and whirls, dissonantly whines and melodically soars, discharges mutilating percussive gunfire and infiltrates musing bass permutations — and of course it vigorously jolts and jabs.

In this song there’s another melodic guitar solo that’s spectacular, and a soft and almost jazzy instrumental interlude in place before the band create a screaming warzone of violence, albeit one accented by eerie, futuristic keys.

Next comes “Crimson Luminescence”, which was the subject of a lyric video. By now it will come as no surprise that Adelon have again created yet another high-octane extreme metal carnival ride, one that again shows off their technical chops, their horror-show vocal variety, and their propensity to bring in otherworldly melodies that are as mesmerizing as their grooves are megaton-destructive (especially in the song’s pavement-fracturing breakdown). Once more the prog-minded guitar soloing is mind-bending all by itself.

There’s no reason to expect that Adelon are going to close an EP of elaborate spectacles with something placid or mundane, and they don’t. The closing song “Cycles” is a close kindred of the tracks that precede it, a spinning gem of many facets that’s just as intricate, just as loaded with contrasts.

You could think of it as an amalgam of pulverizing brutality and mysteriously inviting Arabian spells, of turbocharged technical fireworks and gently glittering acoustic picking, capped at its zenith by one more terrific guitar solo and culminating in the soft wash of waves.

As a last word, we’ll add that the EP is beautifully produced, mixed, and mastered, allowing all the songs’ many moving parts and varying sensations to stand out evenly. Now, listen:

 

 

We also want to share with you comments from a couple of the people whose talents have brought forth Resurgence, beginning with band-member Quentin Landolt:

“Working on this EP has been a wild and exciting journey for the band. Bringing these four songs to life has been a pleasure, and we can’t wait to share them with you. We aimed to pay homage to the bands that shaped us while offering our own take on the Tech/Death genre. Lyrically, Resurgence delves into themes of facing changes and overcoming hardship, whether related to mental health or environmental degradation.”

And we have this from Alex Sedin, who produced, mixed, and mastered the EP:

“Adelon is a prime example of a young band that emerges unexpectedly and pushes the envelope for the entire genre. What these guys achieve on Resurgence is stunning. Musicianship, variety, surprise factor – it’s all there.”

ADELON is:
Drum programming: Robin Demarta
Bass & synth: Titouan Tromme
Guitars, keys, synth, drum programming: Quentin Landolt
Vocals: Pierrick Tromme
Lead guitar on “Monisme”: Etienne Scherer
Saxophone on “Fleshless Vertebrae”: Bastian Köhli

The cover art was created by Quentin Landolt & Midjourney. Resurgence is available for digital pre-order now:

PRE-ORDER:
https://adelon.bandcamp.com/album/resurgence

ADELON:
https://adelon.bandcamp.com/
https://www.facebook.com/AdelonBand/
https://www.instagram.com/adelon_music/
https://open.spotify.com/intl-it/artist/3UkPkf6B6PjmEGp3L4X813