Mesarthim - The Degenerate Era Review

When metal mixes with another genre that isn't rock or punk, it's usually a pretty "big" deal. Rap-metal is one that occasionally comes up, much to my dismay (except Rage Against The Machine), and provides an interesting blend of the styles, to say the least. Limp Bizkit and Body Count are probably the two other well known rap-metal groups, with one drawing inspiration from nu-metal and the other from crossover thrash. This style is pretty out of date, but Body Count put out an album this year, as did Mora Prokaza, a Belarusian black/trap metal duo. I cannot answer as to why these things exist, but I have the same confusion about Mesarthim, which draws from a completely different set of sounds. While I know nothing of the electronic underground, I know that curious fans of EDM or trance would absolutely dig this anonymous Aussie two-piece, whose approach to atmospheric black metal includes heavy synthesizers, drum loops, and rave-like energy. Unlike the majority of rap-metal, I love this group, and have been a fan since their 2016 sophomore effort .- -... ... . -. -.-. . (Absence). While the group has since leaned far heavier into their secondary genre base, I have continued to stay engaged through four EPs and two more full-lengths. So the surprise release of The Degenerate Era (and subsequently the Planet Nine EP) was to a smiling and eager PMMetalGuide. 

But unfortunately, I believe this to be the weakest Mesarthim release to date, including EPs. Now, I could correlate this weakened performance to the sudden shift from using NASA photos as album art to a traditional painted cover, but the followup to this (Planet Nine) is one of my favorite releases by the group and is also beautifully painted by Alessia Brusco. So I have to throw my shade at the heavier than ever electronic elements and boring rhythm section. This band has always been heavily driven by the melody, whether or not it was generated from a guitar amplifier or a synthesizer (often it is hard to tell), so the bass and drums don't need to be perfect. But what I hear on this five-track release is a perfect storm. The electronics are far more prevalent than the guitars and give the rhythm too much space in the mix. Its almost as if the drums are purposely mixed too loud to fill the space the electronics are leaving. This, however, is fixed when guitars reenter the songs and fill the cosmic void left by the electronic lines. Take the closer, "618," as a shining example of this. With guitars merely holding out chords or tremolo picking low in the mix, the epic synth lines become overpowering, leaving the drums to make up for the lost space and unfortunately failing at it. "Time Domain" suffers from the same issue.

I won't totally fault the performance, however, as I think the overarching issue is the production and mixing. While they have been experimenting for many years on how to properly place their sounds, my favorite still lies in the soupy .- -... ... . -. -.-. ., where the lines between guitar and synth blur, making a twisting whirlwind of stunningly beautiful music. Not to say the music presented here isn't great as well; cuts like the title track and "Paradox" are atmospheric black metal ragers that thunder through with inventive tremolo lines and ferocious black beats. The synths merely provide a layer of grandiose and showmanship that highlights the rest of the track wonderfully. The opener, "Laniakea - Part 1. The Great Attractor; Part 2. The Zone of Avoidance; Part 3. Dark Energy," is somewhat of a hybrid of the two styles I have highlighted, with guitars driving the melody and synths complimenting them while mixed at the same volume (The best example of this is probably their third EP, The Great Filter, for reference).

I will always love this band. The inventiveness, image, and sound they create is currently unparalleled in the genre. But every prolific project has their weakest release, and The Degenerate Era is unfortunately it. Now, will I continue to spin this year-round? Absolutely. Like all of their previous work, it is undeniably unique and continually engaging throughout its 45-minute runtime, and is stunning for new and returning listeners alike. Also, seriously, check out Planet Nine. Now THAT's great Mesarthim 

Final Verdict: Who needs lyrics when we have the shriek of the cosmic deity?
Favorite Tracks: "Paradox," "The Degenerate Era," "Laniakea - Part 1. The Great Attractor; Part 2. The Zone of Avoidance; Part 3. Dark Energy"
FFO: Left Horn of the Ram (lmao)