The stars have aligned into a new celestial form over Slovenia, and now SIDEREAN unveils their debut manifestation titled Lost on Void’s Horizon. This cosmic embodiment traverses the dark side of death metal, with visceral melodies and dissonance coursing through the organic quality of its riffs, and its atmosphere is further enhanced by a combination of ambience with other instrumental effects. Impressions of gloom and psychedelia also take form in these arrangements to craft a dynamic and haunting exploration of the cosmos. SIDEREAN ultimately demonstrates an astronomical capacity for songwriting with Lost on Void’s Horizon, and its soundscapes transcend the material universe for an experience that pierces into the great beyond.
A voyage into the void initiates with the distress of accented progressions on “Eolith,” and it intensifies as rhythmic riffs are gradually overtaken by layers of arpeggiated dissonance. This tone continues while the riffing leads through a frenzy of chaotic rhythms that shift along with blurs of intricate fretwork, which then yields to the hypnotic flow of arpeggiations and eerie intervallic melodies. A rush of cosmic force launches the melodic solo that carries this entrancement up to epic heights, and the torment returns accompanied by the high screams and deep gutturals of anguished vocals. The fury dissipates into a bleak melodic passage, but soon regains momentum and builds toward a second solo before moving on to “Traversing.” The ambience of space is exemplified with the melodies and psychedelic effects of this instrumental, and it’s a suitable prelude to the recommencing madness of the title track. Formations of dissonant complexity and rhythmic flux advance into heavy tremolo riffing with blast beats, and points of chilling emphasis creep through as the heaviness takes precedence along with other timing shifts. A discordant surge breaks into arpeggiated gloom with whispered voices, followed closely by another section of deranged melody, and the intricate drumming patterns drive these developments into another realm of deep space emanations. The gloom emerges from this interlude with brooding intensity, and a melancholic hook augments its despair until the heightened chaos of other recurring arrangements bring the next transition.
Ominous vibrations continue in the melodies and doom-laden progressions of “Sidereal Evolution” while dark psychedelia is induced from the distorted pulsating of alien hook effects. A moment of calm turns abruptly to the fury of layered vocals, blasts, and discordant riffs, which briefly relents for haunting emphasis before raging through a relentless and visceral display of riffing insanity. These unsettling and chaotic manifestations converge, with the fretboard taps of a solo also taking form within their nebulous mass, and the elements of this evocative culmination are further pursued on “Coalescing into the Expanse.” The riffing follows its course while alternating with slow arpeggiated sections and other dissonant forms evolving throughout, along with screaming distortions and cosmic effects that signal the approach of “Abyssophora.” Impending demise is conveyed by the groove and anguished vocal delivery of this brooding execution, and intensity builds as heavy riffing and blast beats drive the developing intricacies into a soaring melodic solo. This leaves a lasting impact while the groove shifts to evoke a looming bleakness, and its dreary contortions progress until succumbing to the ambience of oblivion, which completes a final merging with the universe.
Cycles of life, death, and rebirth are related through lyrical embodiments of ancient times and cosmic imagery. This begins on “Eolith,” with “the acheulean age again in its dawn” indicating rebirth as primeval tools are reforged. Other events show “this cycle rebirths time” before depicting transcendence on “Lost on Void’s Horizon.” Disintegration of the body and consciousness are described while interacting with various formations in space, and this results in a godlike transformation. The genesis of Earth is portrayed on “Sidereal Evolution,” along with prehistoric beings who long for a return to the void of their origin as they evolve. “Coalescing into the Expanse” seeks to break down and then rebuild existence while looking to “stand in every place at once, dream each life as one,” and this union of infinity with singularity recurs during the experience of death on “Abyssophora.” It describes “transcendent pain” as the material body dissolves and the freed incorporeal essence is consumed by the void. Along with these themes are other allusions, including the attainment of deeper wisdom and higher consciousness, that could be discerned from numerous references to mythology and the ages of antiquity appearing throughout.
SIDEREAN has emerged in full force with Lost on Void’s Horizon, and this stellar entrance firmly displays musical proficiency while delivering a potent combination of haunting dissonance, melody, and riffing fury. These tracks were meticulously crafted, and their complexity goes further with a proportional use of solos, ambient effects, and other elemental varieties to create an atmosphere reflecting the radiance and vastness of the cosmos. They effectively conjure tones that are ominous and psychedelic, and often reaching epic euphoric heights, while other bleak expressions of anguish are conveyed through rhythmic and vocal dynamics. SIDEREAN’s death metal fusion of cosmic ambiance with menacing darkness has yielded an impressive debut experience, and the immensity of Lost on Void’s Horizon has the potential to eclipse many other releases for the year.
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