Feeding Frenzy: Gaerea – Coma

Gaerea – Coma

Release Date: 25th October 2024||Genre: Black/extreme metal||Label: Season of Mist

Portugal’s new kings of black metal are about to rouse the masses with Coma

On paper, Gaerea‘s fourth full-length is a simple continuation of their previous works. If, like me, you still enjoy spinning an album in full, as intended by the creators, you’ll find some familiar idioms here.

Things are eased in with extended style, before the extremity takes its grip. Sombre yet furious when rolling at full bore, existing acolytes will certainly recognise the sound. There’s something more to it this time, however. Something intangible, and deep. Something which sinks right to the core.

A more patient approach to songwriting leaves a visceral, haunting mist of hopelessness draped over each note. It doesn’t matter if it’s blasting riffs or textured vocal melodies, the spectre maintains throughout. You get the sense that the whole band has emotionally exposed themselves to a greater degree, and the production dives in headlong with them. While more polished in some respects, Coma also sounds rawer, barely contained in its cathartic frenzy.

Grasping great handfuls of death metal, prog, and funereal doom on its path, this is an album which breaks right out of the black metal box. Which is exactly what like in the genre. Coma is a Goliath of a record. It hits like hearing I Loved You At Your Darkest for the first time, and the sensation is unquestionable that this is a band about to step up to a new stage. Gaerea have tapped into something magical on this opus, and I can’t wait to receive its full crushing heft live. An instant classic.

A+
Slow Dragon