Praesepe
The 6th Extinction
Damned Pages
November 30th, 2015
Formed in Cieszyn, Poland and now based in London, UK, Praesepe has recently come to my attention after some positive feedback which I’ve heard around. Being rather busy, the band gathered a remarkable collection of releases over the last 10 years. I was a little intrigued with what the guys had done so I eagerly played their 5th full-length album – The 6th Extinction. And the fact that the mastering and mixes were done by Nihil (Furia, Morowe, MasseMord) has actually spawned some extra enthusiasm in me.
Alternating between death, black and doom metal aesthetics, Praesepe immediately reminded me of two Swedish classics – Bathory and Dissection. But the more I listened to it, the more I found its unique character and inventiveness. I think that it might be a definition of inspiration and a guide how to use it correctly. Profound and refined sound of Rzeki Niebiesko-Krwawe is a perfect beginning of the album thoughtfully chosen to encourage a listener to get more. And well… There is more! The Bathory-like chants give it a bit more lofty atmosphere and act as a beautiful background for the extended and, at times, poetic compositions. And the closing riff of the first opus is just an immaculate conclusion of the song!
It is very much into my liking when an album concentrates on various facets of metal but it successfully blends them into a rigid framework. The 6th Extinction is definitely one of those releases. It’s also worth noticing that lyrics and vocals reflect Praesepe’s exquisite character being a classy complement to the music.
Somewhere seems to be my personal favourite piece of The 6th Extinction. Acoustic passages are finely interlaced with the heavy but melodic sections. It is a proper combination of slow and chunky guitars with the solo riffs which are simply magnificent. Together with the great bass drum, the song seems to be very dynamic and engaging.
Taking on board a lot of inspiration, Praesepe proves it’s really easy to experiment with inspiration and transform the best into even better creation. Sending a listener for a profound journey into the far galaxy, the band seems to be very determined and filled with ideas for their music. And just like with all the bands which are new to me, I am really excited to see if Praesepe manages to recreate the ambience of The 6th Extinction during live performances…
THE GOAT TAVERN 