Gaerea – Coma

Written by on 24-10-2024 at 11:14.

A new line-up. A new logo. A new album. Gaerea is ready to take the next step towards world domination. This group of extremely talented, passionate, and kind people creates music that serves as my favorite therapist. Never before has metal touched me as deeply as it does with this Portuguese/Dutch group. Like a laundromat for the mind, I repeatedly experience a blissful catharsis with albums like Mirage and Limbo. Their dark sounds truly cut to the bone. The readers of Zware Metalen know this all too well. If it weren’t for a single vote, Mirage would have topped the ZM Year List in 2022.

On their new work titled Coma, it’s once again time for introspection. This theme is beautifully reflected in the album artwork. Just like Eliran Kantor’s painting for Limbo, we now see an eye rolled upwards. This time, it’s drawn with a ballpoint pen. Artist Nathan Lorenzana worked on this piece for months. Once again, they turned to Miguel Tereso from Demigod Recordings for mixing and mastering. An excellent choice for a modern metal sound.

Coma is the first album with a different vocalist. We could already notice live that his vocals come across as somewhat less mysterious and desperate. However, the anonymous singer compensates for this with grandeur and a colossal power that comes from his innermost being. This is no different on Coma. Several times you’ll be blown away by his intense screams, which is immediately evident in the opening track The Poet’s Ballet. After a remarkable intro with ethereal guitar and softly spoken words, the track transforms into a tempest. A massive wall of sound swiftly overwhelms you. Goosebumps guaranteed! This longest track of Coma narrates fear and despair of a cosmic order. Embrace the bleakness!

Hope Shatters follows as the second single, released with visual support from Grupa 13 (known for Behemoth’s clips). It goes to show that in 2024, extreme metal can go hand in hand with modern dance. The deeply haunting riffs give voice to a lost soul wandering numbly in an urban abyss. Once again, it’s the powerful contrast in composition where Gaerea leaves a lasting impression. At the moment when all attention shifts to the guitar work against a backdrop of crackling vinyl, the aggressive vocals hit even harder. Magnificent!

Life is elusive, and some choices are irreversible, as becomes clear in Suspended. This final single before the release of Coma comes with a clip directed by the frontman himself. Warm guitar strums resonate deeply, creating a melancholic atmosphere. The guitar work during the clean vocal section is reminiscent of the title track from Mirage, which similarly elevates the mood. The fantastic drumming also deserves mention. Major compliments to the drummer, who has developed his own sound more and more over the years!

Is experiencing freedom, even if only for a moment, enough to give life meaning? Yes, the power of freedom is immense, even in fleeting moments. World Ablaze describes a man who, after a life trapped in limitations, finally experiences the world’s beauty and wonder at the end of his days. This melodic track clearly shows that Gaerea has moved beyond black metal. Influences from other subgenres enrich their modern sound. Also, be sure to check out the clip, once again produced by Grupa 13. Doesn’t it remind you a bit of Meshuggah‘s Bleed video?

The title track Coma takes us to an awakening from a coma, with hope as a compass and courage as the inner core. An imposing, almost theatrical intro gives way to a melody that dances endlessly with the void. It almost feels like hearing Behemoth’s Inferno drumming. Stunning, those drums! In the emotive Wilted Flower, warm guitar strums create more space for calm, but not for long. A pounding melody swells to outline the emptiness of a withered soul. The clean vocals stand out again as a relative novelty in Gaerea’s music. On Coma, ample room has been given to the contrast between the heavy and the light to enhance the intensity. Reborn starts off much more aggressively. This track also carries that unique Gaerea signature that we love so much. With bombast, we dive deep into the mind to see what reality truly is. The riffs are to die for!

The intro of Shapeshifter reminds me of To Ain, my favorite track from Limbo, but indeed takes a very different shape. Like an acoustic elevation of the tension between outward success and inner emptiness, this track strikes deep once again. Captivating and masterful. But then Unknown follows, and here I am not prepared. My jaw drops several times. This quickly proves to be one of Gaerea’s best tracks since their start in 2016. A harmonious disharmony perfectly captures the lyrics about alienation from the self and the constant search for identity. Lovely guitar work morphs into icy violence with desperate vocals. Unknown shows how contrasts in intensity can work flawlessly.

The finale of this charred soul-cleansing called Coma, Kingdom of Thorns, ironically reflects on the illusion of success. The inner emptiness remains, no matter how successful you are. So I hope this track isn’t autobiographical. Gaerea, through a combination of hard work and immense talent, has rightfully become successful and, with Coma, is fully prepared to conquer the world. The compositions are more compact, modern, and accessible but lose none of the emotional depth that Gaerea is known for. This is an album that takes you in, swallows you, and eventually releases you completely purified. So let it take you. Let Gaerea grab you by the throat and drag you into the depths of human existence.

Coma is the ultimate melodic embodiment of painful beauty, and Gaerea is the best vessel for intense emotions. Gaerea gives strength. Gaerea brings solace. Gaerea is the future of extreme metal.

We Are Gaerea.

Score:

100/100

Label:

Season of Mist, 2024

Tracklisting:

  1. The Poet’s Ballet
  2. Hope Shatters
  3. Suspended
  4. World Ablaze
  5. Coma
  6. Wilted Flower
  7. Reborn
  8. Shapeshifter
  9. Unknown
  10. Kingdom of Thorns

Line-up:

The band members wish to remain anonymous.

Links: