If you’re going to take an established art form and add an experimental touch, there’s a lot of things that can go wrong. Luckily, in the case of death metal, Azure Emote gets it so gloriously right. Following in the footsteps of the ancient gods like Atheist, Nocturnus and Cynic, the band makes modern death metal, adds a touch of black metal, and then weaves in unconventional song structures and non-metal instruments. And they do it in a way that adds to the catchiness of the music.
They understand what only the best can grasp: experimental metal is about wowing the listeners and keeping them guessing, not showing how great of a player you are or shoving in as many notes as possible. It probably helps that the band is comprised of veterans of other bands like Monstrosity and Rumpelstiltskin Grinder. According to the band:
The song “Loss” is a melancholic dirge encompassing moments of rage and depression. It is meant to be a reflection on personal mortality, the tragedy of watching loved ones die, and the freedom that comes with your own death and the inevitable loss of everything.
Indeed, the songs many moods and shifts convey the variety of emotions that pull us when experiencing tragedy. Believe it or not though, I found the song to be strangely uplifting as well! Perhaps that was the point.
Stream “Loss” below, and look out for The Third Perspective on March via Selfmadegod Records. You can pre-order the album here.