Esoctrilihum - Annochiül Xar Sorthïlazur (2026)
An ambitious and unusual symphonic black/death metal album, with some fascinating atmospheres and creative arrangements, but also a tendency to become unnecessarily complicated and exhausting.
Annochiül Xar Sorthïlazur continues Esoctrilihum's exploration of extreme metal, combining aggressive guitars, blast beats, orchestral arrangements and unconventional vocals. The symphonic elements are particularly prominent this time, giving the music an almost operatic dimension that makes the album quite distinctive.
“Hèzykhäwl, Dravil Harpzg hül Ab Castox Ularüs” is my favourite track. I particularly enjoy the contrast between its heavier sections and the more atmospheric passages. The orchestral arrangements add some interesting textures, and the longer structure allows several ideas to develop without feeling quite as chaotic as on some of the other tracks.
“Shaog, Imperium Byzaaryx Nocruv Az Inculus Ezhialh” is an impressive opener, although its thirteen minutes are sometimes difficult to follow. “Belthesboor, Ury Fortras Majestrix Daîvostre Shaydos” has some good atmospheric moments, while “Esthrälh, 9th Auric Ovh Harmon-Ixyrh” is particularly intense. I also appreciate the instrumental “Ftasul, Valgus Irias Ezh Akoh Makàl”, which provides a welcome break from the constant aggression.
What I like most is the originality of the arrangements. Asthâghul has a very personal musical universe, and the combination of extreme metal, symphonic passages and strange vocal techniques creates some genuinely interesting moments. There's a lot of creativity here, and I appreciate the willingness to experiment rather than follow a conventional black metal formula.
My main problem is that the music often feels overloaded. Too many layers, changes and competing ideas make several compositions difficult to follow, and the melodies sometimes disappear beneath the dense arrangements. The operatic and high-pitched vocals are also rather distracting, particularly when combined with the most chaotic instrumental sections.
The album's length doesn't help either. At more than seventy minutes, the constant intensity becomes tiring, and I find that many of the musical ideas would have been more effective with simpler arrangements and a little more restraint.
It's certainly an interesting and distinctive record, with some impressive passages and a strong artistic identity. But I find myself appreciating the ambition more than the actual listening experience, and I doubt I'll return to the entire album very often.
67/100
❤️ Favourite track: “Hèzykhäwl, Dravil Harpzg hül Ab Castox Ularüs”
+ Creative symphonic arrangements and unusual textures
+ Strong artistic identity and atmospheric passages
+ Interesting contrasts between extreme metal and orchestration
– Overloaded and sometimes confusing compositions
– Distracting operatic and high-pitched vocals
– Excessive length and exhausting intensity
Genre: Avant-garde black metal
Country: France
Final Verdict: 67% (Good Album)
Yearly Ranking: 114th / 743
Highlight: Hèzykhäwl, Dravil Harpzg hül Ab Castox Ularüs
Made me think of:
Imperial Triumphant
Blut Aus Nord
The Ruins of Beverast
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