Band:	Chaos Echœs
Album:	Transient
Style:	Avantgarde metal, Death doom metal
Release date:	April 2015

01. Senses Of The Nonexistent
02. Interzone IV: Intoxicating Beauty
03. Advent Of My Genesis
04. Interzone V: Ignorance Is Bliss
05. Kyôrakushugi
06. Interzone VI: Realization
07. Soul Ruiner

Never underestimate the power of curiosity; a catalyst for doors yet to be open.

The members behind Chaos Echœs come from a rare, and often marvelous, breed of musicians. Their debut is a fine example of what can be accomplished if artists devote themselves to eclecticism. To be able to explore and fully embrace different styles of art, take a step back and wonder "what can I create of all this?" A maelstrom of psychedelic darkness, that's what.

Bear in mind that this entire album has been improvised. This choice of songwriting is daring and can easily backfire. No worries here though as the French collective took all they could learn from jazz and experimental music to back up their bizarre concept of metal. A phrase by the famous jazz musician Wayne Shorter became their motto: "To hell with the rules, I'm going for the unknown."

And to hell we shall also go. The backbone of Transient is made up of mostly death/doom, but to leave it at that would be a gross misinterpretation of this work. Black metal, drone, noise, ambient, psychedelic rock and the aforementioned jazz influences crawl into your ears and penetrate your subconscious. Everything feels clear and in place which makes the improvisation element even more astonishing and magical. The drums constantly evoke a ritualistic atmosphere and it wouldn't be too crazy to view parts of this album as music to meditate with. The gradual progression of the dissonant riffs with disorienting leads on top also accentuates this mind-altering vibe.

Transient is a largely instrumental affair which isn't surprising given the premise of the band's style. Vocals do appear every now and then though, and they cover as much range as the music. From chants like in the foreboding "Senses Of The Nonexistent" to venomous whispers and confusing layers of screams found in "Advent Of My Genesis". A particular highlight would be "Interzone VI: Realization" where the band channels the bizarreness of bands like Sunn O))) while also adding vocals comparable to the great Attila Csihar.

If curiosity calls upon you, making you want to see the molds of extreme metal being broken, do yourself a favor and experience one of the most intriguing metal albums of the year. Go for the unknown.