Amiensus - Reclamation: Part 1 (2024)

Unleashing a very interesting and crafty Progressive Black Metal release, today we have Amiensus and their moody “Reclamation: Part 1” release. Featuring eight tracks and nearly 55 minutes of highly intricate music, this album has vibes from bands like Enslaved, Agalloch, all the way to Cynic. With each track introducing an interesting mix of ideas, this release is definitely one of the most unique and enjoyable albums of 2024.

Opening with the moody atmospherics of “Blink of the Moment'', the band sets a very Agalloch-esque vibe thanks to its engaging guitar-driven core and excellent vocal (clean and harsh) onslaughts. This dreamy atmosphere bleeds into the catchiness of “Reverie”, a more dynamic piece that features an interesting mix of Progressive elements and engaging melodic passages. The band’s ideas nicely blend different genres and elements together as the mellow “Senses Amplified” showcases.

For those looking for more fragile and layered songs, “Sun and Moon” is a very ethereal piece that has a nice Cynic vibe, which nicely bleeds into the crushing “A Consciousness Throughout Time” one of the most elaborate and engaging songs in this release. We particularly love the Melodic Death Metal meets Immortal energy of “Vermillion Fog of War” and the dramatic and quite elegant “Spoken into Will” with its jazzy bass guitar line.

Closing with the more experimental “Transcendence Through Grief”, the band has managed to pull off an excellent release filled with different styles and ideas, and yet with a very cohesive and engaging core. Amiensus has gradually been improving over time and with “Reclamation: Part 1” the band shows off their polished skills. Being a part 1 of something, we can’t wait to hear what Part 2 brings to us in the future.

Label: M-Theory Audio

Release: April 26th, 2024

Genre: Progressive Black Metal

Country: USA