Escarion - Towards a Futile Existence
Hailing from Melbourne, Australia, Escarion formed in 2017 and released their debut album Pillars of the Faith in 2021. Pillars was a well-received album, and it did not take long before Escarion developed a close-knit underground fan base. Pillars nestled into a blackened death style of progressive metal, with influences ranging from Death to Opeth, Behemoth and At the Gates and beyond. Escarion could have been forgiven for doubling down on their sound as progressive metal bands rarely take risks on sophomore releases. However, the bar over the last few years has been lifted, particularly in Black Metal as bands continue to push the extremes of what is possible within the genre. Escarion continue in that vein, and take a considerable risk here by shifting their sound and incorporating more melody and atmospheric textures. The layered realms not only come in the form of new member Gaia and her clean vocals and keyboards, but also in the mature songwriting – the leap the band has taken so early in their career is brave. The results will come to those that invest in Towards a Futile Existence, because there is so much going on across its 56-minute duration - it is an album that requires your time across multiple listens. Unlike the pace of the album, the rewards will slowly unravel, creeping their way into your psyche.
The title track opens cleanly as Gaia comes in within the first 30 seconds, setting Escarion’s new scene with her glorious vocals, and as she envelopes the listener with melody, the anticipation grows. If you had absorbed Pillars of the Faith, then you know that the heaviness will be forthcoming. And when it does, it is thunderous - the layers of keyboards remain as the guitars and rhythm section weave its way through riff after riff – this is far from futile. The level of craft here is next level, the track opens up at the halfway point as Gaia has space to elevate over a hypnotic Danny Carey like drum pattern.
A spoken word section opens May Hell Prevail on Earth, channelling Funkadelic’s Maggot Brain. These poetic sections appear a few times across the album, further adding a dynamic and texture that forces you into a different thought-provoking listening experience. Nothing outstays its welcome though, the album has been crafted and produced meticulously - it is nuanced when you need it to be, and brutally heavy and technical in others. The experienced Swedish engineer Thomas Plec Johansson mastered the album, elevating the transitions between and within songs work to create an overall collective experience. Technical progressive albums can often sound too pieced together, bands often too afraid to leave a flashy section on the chopping board, but Johansson having worked with Scar Symmetry, October Tide, Mayhem and fellow Aussie band Meshiaak enhances the album’s arc.
Escarion are impressive musicians, every instrument (including the voice) bleeds with passion and precision, guitarist Louis Parengkuan’s exquisite solos are never arrogant, instead they find a way to lift the tracks. Escarion are tight and intense, Memoirs of Madness being a highlight as the bass is slightly lifted into the mix as the track ebbs and flows with a level of groove that is hard to capture with such pace. Vocalists Gaia and Arhondis are worlds apart stylistically, but the juxtaposition works, and when they trade off each other, it is very powerful. Gaia appears at the two-minute mark of Dynasty of Decadence, gripping you by the throat and asking “is this defeat?” over a soaring guitar part. Then as the track approaches the four-minute mark, ‘the moment’ of the album is born, Escarion unleash a riff that could upend hell on earth, the backdrop of keys are in mourning, hell then prevails and it is memorable in all the right ways.
Lyrically, the album explores the theme of the human psyche and modern society’s disconnect from reality under a digitised influence. The band comments: “Our sophomore album, 'Towards A Futile Existence' is a spiritual journey, just like our debut. Whereas the first was following the concept of the seven deadly sins and examining their impact on the human psyche, this album has a focus on modernity and the impacts it has on the soul. It is both a warning of our current trajectory, as well as a reflection on the pain and struggle of life in a world where nihilism is prevailing. We are truly walking 'with despair in our hearts, Towards a Futile Existence', in our personal life, as well as society as a whole.”
The album is packed with awe inspiring moments that equally floor and captivate the listener. Zeitgeist opens with a thrashy Trivium style section, Arhondis making it sound effortless as he switches between vile black metal and death style vocals before Gaia puts the icing on the cake in the last minute. Empire is the final track and at nearly eleven minutes, it is the perfect way to end a powerful and thought-provoking album. Very proud to have a band such as Escarion release such a killer Australian album in 2023.