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FRACTAL UNIVERSE

(FRANCE)

THE IMPASSABLE HORIZON

(2021)
LABEL:

METAL BLADE RECORDS

GENRE:

DEATH METAL

TAGS:
Growl, Technical
"Technical and ferocious as usual, this new Fractal Universe confirms the qualities of this band !"
DARIALYS (14.07.2021)  
3/5
(0) opinions (0) comment(s)
On the French death metal scene, they are our little national pride. And for good reason, they've been growing ever since the release of their first album, "Engram Of Decline". We want to talk about Fractal Universe who releases this year their third album, "The Impassable Horizon", still signed by the giant Metal Blade Records.

And this opus starts with the imperial 'Autopoiesis', one of the great satisfactions of the album, with its blast beat and its almost black metal riff masterly written. As often, the band proposes fast and very technical riffs on the verses, carried by a destructive guttural vocal, before bringing a hint of melody on the choruses accompanied by a generally clear vocal.

The very high technicality and the impeccable instrumental cleanliness of the tracks are to be underlined as for each album. A death metal more technical than progressive strictly speaking, which resounds with ferocity throughout the eleven tracks of the album, especially on 'A Clockwork Expectation' and its grandiose clip shot in the magnificent Gouffre de Poudrey.

We will also retain the track 'Black Sails of Melancholia' which stands out by its more melancholic character and by its restraint relatively rare for the combo. Vince Wilquin, singer and guitarist of the band performs a very nice saxophone solo as on the title above, adding a warm side. A style that fits rather well with the state of mind of the band with this revisited version of 'Flashes Of Potentialities' unplugged version, a track that we could hear on their previous album. The influence of Katatonia and Opeth doesn't seem to be far away, and evokes winter landscapes full of a form of nostalgia.

However, it seems that the band struggles to really renew itself throughout the record. Even after many listenings, it seems difficult to really distinguish the titles one from the other, the repetitiveness of the ambiences, the technicality of the riffs often taking the lead on the originality and the creativity of the compositions. 'A Cosmological Arch' and 'Falls Of The Earth' are rather good examples of this observation. While being good titles, they do not manage to make the whole take off. The execution is always irreproachable, but it misses this small supplement of soul to really cross a course.

However, we can only salute the Fractal Universe for their remarkable journey and we wish them to continue their ascent in the world of death metal, because with a more varied and renewed composition process, there is a good chance that they could cross the bearing that would allow them to explode.
- Official website
SIMILAR BANDS:
OBSCURA

TRACK LISTING:
01. Autopoiesis
02. A Clockwork Expectation
03. Interfering Spherical Scenes
04. Symmetrical Masquerade
05. Falls of the Earth
06. Withering Snows
07. Black Sails of Melancholia
08. A Cosmological Arch
09. Epitaph
10. Godless Machinists
11. Flashes of Potentialities (Unplugged)

LINEUP:
Clément Denys: Batterie
Hugo Florimond: Guitares
Valentin Pelletier: Basse
Vince Wilquin: Chant / Guitares
   
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FRACTAL UNIVERSE in livestream on July 25
 

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