Gather around, tech-death enthusiasts! I’ve got an album that promises to deliver everything you could ever want.

Straight out of Geneva, the blackened technical death metal band Stortregn released their new album “Impermanence” on March 10th via The Artisan Era. Known for bands like Equipoise and Inferi, this label is a force to be reckoned with in the technical death metal scene. I’m sure this band will receive as much praise as their label mates.

The album features elements of death, black, jazz, and prog. Plus, they’ve seamlessly linked the songs together, a feature I absolutely love. They’ve even thrown in some acoustic passages that can get you all emotional. Perfect for us sentimental metalheads – behold, emotional technical death metal!

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust… We start the album with the epic “Ghost of the Past.” As you know, Swedish melodic death is the gold standard, and this track instantly brings that influence to mind. When the vocals kick in, you might find yourself doing a double-take and checking the band photo. Let me clarify: yes, you’re hearing a female guest vocalist with an impressive range, but sadly, she’s only featured on this one track.

“Ghost of the Past” transitions beautifully into “Moon, Sun, Stars.” This track begins with a bass solo, a staple in tech-death bands that never fails to excite me. It also features those emotional segments I mentioned, but they don’t last long. The song dives back into aggressive territory after briefly exploring its somber side.

“Cosmos Eater,” the album’s first single, was a perfect choice. Its melody is incredibly catchy, continuing to play in your head long after the track ends. The dual guitars embellish the song beautifully from start to finish, showcasing a high level of professionalism. The track starts off strong and heavy, but then mellows out before the solo, creating a distinct shift in atmosphere. Towards the end, it calms even further, setting the stage for the next track.

The title track “Impermanence” opens with an acoustic part. Initially, I thought it would be a fully acoustic interlude, but the sudden entrance of drums and riffs proved otherwise. Despite its brief two-minute runtime, it’s packed with content and serves as a transitional piece that splits the album in two. It’s also the darkest and most tense track on the album, in my opinion.

“Grand Nexion Abyss” quickly returns to form after a cheerful acoustic intro, bringing back those dual guitars. Some might find the repetitive guitar melody towards the end tiresome, but this track marks the start of the album’s stronger half. During the middle section, I couldn’t help but hear strong Opeth influences. Whether it’s deliberate or my ear picking up what it wants to hear, I’m not sure. As with previous tracks, you can predict different sections – the song ends with a calm rhythm and drums. I truly enjoy listening to these genre fusions within metal bands.

As we near the end, we have “Multilayered Chaos,” the most popular track on digital platforms. Compared to the others, it felt more straightforward. It features a beautiful acoustic passage that I wish was longer, but it’s kept short. I think this is the easiest song to digest on the album, which might explain its popularity.

Now, to my favorite track, “Timeless Splendor.” This track encapsulates all the genres present on the album, from black metal to jazz. Combining all these elements so seamlessly and presenting them without any discomfort is no easy feat. I love the jazz transition so much that I find myself turning on a jazz album just to hear more! If only these guys formed a trio, it would be amazing. I absolutely love every aspect of this track.

We say goodbye to the album with “Nénie,” a French track. I love it when albums start and end with emotionally charged songs. When chosen well, they can set the perfect mood for the listener. The first half of the song is intense as usual, but the melodic riffs in the second half and the closing… This is how you end an album. It left me feeling emotional and empty, making me want to hit replay. Classic marketing strategy, folks!

I highly recommend this album to anyone interested in the genre. Now, off I go to hit that replay button again. Enjoy!

Asuna Pehlivan