TERRA ODIUM – Ne Plus Ultra
- Posted on 02-08-2021
Terra Odium, which is an international outfit of sorts with members hailing from Norway, USA, and the UK, recently unleashed this epic seven-track offering of theirs via Frontiers, and if you are on the lookout for a hard-hitting slab of dark, progressive metal with an ominous and occasionally eerie vibe to it, look no further than "Ne Plus Ultra".
Boasting an interesting and musically exceptional line-up with ties to acts ala Spiral Architect, Testament, and Veil of Secrets does not necessarily entail that this record of theirs would be awesome too, but the fact is that this is a superbly crafted LP that is highly potent and effective in terms of conjuring up a thick, gloomy atmosphere. With plenty of clever arrangements and the ability to move more or less seamlessly from slow, crushing parts to vicious and fast-paced ones, there is enough variety to make sure you never lose focus when listening to it. I find its claustrophobic and oppressive feel appealing, and I dig the fact that there is no shortage of drama and intensity here. The raging, bleak, and powerful «It Was Not Death" is an excellent example of how to employ light and shade in a tune, but I could say the very same thing about most of the tracks included on the disc. The vocals are good too, but there are times when they sound slightly strained and not entirely compatible with the melodies and riffs. Luckily, those instances are quite rare and nothing to get grumpy about as such.
From a stylistic point of view, this is one of the more interesting and original-sounding releases in the Frontiers catalogue. You should check it out.