A resounding blast of an EP following up on Feversea´s highly acclaimed release from last year.

Most of the readers of these pages remember exactly where they were when Neurosis dropped their new album recently. A small fraction of us remember where we were when Feversea dropped their debut album, Man Under Erasure, almost a year ago. I certainly do. There had been rumours that this Oslo-based band, formed in 2020, were going to drop an album that year. And what an album it was; an astonishing Post-Metal release that was so mature and well done that it seemed like a sixth or seventh release from an experienced band.

Of course, the musicians are experienced, and they have had years to hone their craft and compositions. When the band recorded this debut album, they also recorded four songs that did not make it onto the album. But now these songs are released on this breathtaking EP. It is heavy, swelling, and aggressive with short breathers to help you follow the atmospheric and soaring music with a vocalist who has immense power and range. Her voice swerves from harsh to angelic, to disconnected aggressiveness and strong harmonies. Her voice constantly changes the mood of the songs as they urgently scurry onward.

Compared to their debut, the band seems to tighten their music, to convey the rage and frustration they feel helpless watching a world going askew. They induce more Black Metal and Post-Hardcore into their sonics to get the message through. But they are still one of the most interesting new Post-Metal/Atmospheric Sludge Metal bands these days.

The songs’ titles show us themes that are perfectly underlined by the unforgiving and relentless music led by the vocalist. Just look at the title of the first song (and title of the EP): “Wormwood in the Veins of the World”. From the first riff, the first hammering drums, and the heaving bass, the dense and heavy fast-paced music is led by strong, harsh, and angry vocals oozing with resentment. Even with this hard music, the band forms melodic themes as the music widens, when translucent guitars and clear vocals, and soaring synths are added.

There is no pause before the band dives into “All Gall Is Divided” where they tighten their monumental music, closing in on blast beat pace, guitars hitting fast, intense synths swirling above heaving bass licks, immersive strong, clear vocals that morph into harsh aggressiveness, and then turning the voice into soaring vocalizing. The music surges to screaming vocals and soaring synths before a new segment of clear vocals upon intense drumming and riffing. The sound is simply massive and expansive.

There is a sense of Post-Hardcore in the opening lines of “Bileblack” with blast beating drums, but as the massive sonics with guitars and synths swell along with clear vocals, we are back in the Post-Metal realm where the bass leads the pace accompanied by punchy riffs. At first, the clear vocals seem disconnected as the voice seems to levitate on its own. The contrast is utterly effective when she lets the vocal swell, diving into the immense sounds by the band. After the music has panned out with sound effects, it surges back into all that heaviness and harsh vocals as the music is driven forward at high speed, the vocals fighting to be heard in the massive sonics.

So here is an allusion to the Bible´s Book of Revelation; when the third trumpet sounds, a third of the world´s water turns to wormwood and thousands die… Well, be that as it may, but the song “Sounding the Third Trumpet” is uncompromising with its heavy drumming, fast bass, and tumultuous riffing with a rhythm section that leans strongly towards Black Metal´s pace and sonics. The guitars provide riffs and solos on each side of the monumental rhythm with intense, hoarse, and harsh vocals added. Infusing synths into the soundscape just makes it mightier until it surges into blasting pace. The music simmers down to a vast landscape only with sound effects and whispers before an avalanche of Post-Metal returns with resounding drums and soaring melodic synths. The music almost overwhelms the hoarse screams before it comes to the end, fading slowly away with whispers and sound effects.

The EP clocks in at 18 minutes, but with the mighty sonics, the twists, turns, and sweeping cascades, it certainly feels like you have been in Feversea´s maelstrom much longer than that. Repeated listens only make this EP better and better, just as their debut album does. This is what the band has in common with the best in the genre.