Esoctrilihum is a French avant garde black metal project signed to I, Voidhanger Records. This project has been making waves for a few years now. The unique mix of rich songwriting and epic concepts has made Esoctrilihum one of a kind. This is perfectly showcased in their new record, Eternity Of Shaog. Asthagul, the man behind the project, has gone above and beyond even the levels he's set for this project. He has created his most fully realized work yet. Eternity of Shaog acts as part of a diptych with his last album The Telluric Ashes of the Ö Vrth Immemorial Gods. This record is a part of a much broader overarching journey that explores demonic possession and insane deities. There is simply so much to unpack from a project that has fascinated underground metallers across the globe.
Many bands attempt to conjure up hellish sounds. However, few succeed the way Esoctrilihum does. Some tracks like "Exh-Enî Söph (1st Passage – Exiled From Sanity)" impress with their black metal intensity. Others such as "hayr-Thàs (6th Passage – Walk The Oracular Way)" dazzle with psychedelic violins. The violins are in fact showcased throughout the album. They really add to the magic of what they are creating. As a rule, the band thrives on off kilter songwriting, weird harmonic approaches, and unholy testaments to gods gone mad. There is such power to the production though that makes it all possible. For years Asthagul has been working at pulling it all together, but it is on this record that it finally has started to click. Eternity Of Shaog is perhaps the first Esoctrilihum record that really showcases Asthagul’s potential at its fullest.
The overarching stories presented here also add another valuable layer to the music. These tracks are by nature very dense, it makes sense that the subject matter would match that level of insanity. Asthagul does an excellent job on Eternity Of Shaog in showcasing just how demented his internal reality is. The blasting madness of "Thritônh (2nd Passage – The Colour of Death)" is only underscored by the knowledge that this is, in fact, a reflection on the insanity of man and the isolation of the artist. Through these larger overarching stories Asthagul has been able to get extremely introspective. While these may be putrid epics they also grate at a twisted side of the psyche.
Eternity Of Shaog can't help but capture the imagination. This is a record that is impressive in sheer breadth alone. The demonic wail of the violins that defines "Aylowenn Aela (3rd Passage -The Undying Citadel)" for instance is simply indicative of how Esoctrilihum is able to conjure up demented sonic worlds. This comes in conjunction with the epic, and yet highly introspective stories the record tells. It makes for something listeners won't soon forget. Though this is a long record with a lot to pick through, for the dedicated fan it is a dream come true. Dense to a fault, but also endlessly interesting, Eternity Of Shaog is a fitting next step for what Esoctrilihum has set out to do.
Score: 8.5/10
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