Full Length Review: Thy Apokalypse "Fragment quatrième (Metacosmos)" (Bitume Prods) by Dave Wolff

Project: Thy Apokalypse

Country: France

Genre: Industrial black metal

Full length: Fragment quatrième (Metacosmos)

Format: Digipack CD, digital

Label: Bitume Prods (France)

Release date: September 26, 2025

This month, Thy Apokalypse is set to release an album featuring a storyline that could have emerged if Voivod had collaborated with either Steven Spielberg or James Cameron.

Established as a solo endeavor by Adz, Thy Apokalypse has been exploring various forms of black metal since 2005. Their 2009 freshman album "Fragment premier (Vision of Apokalypse)" narrates an unintentional story about a conflict between humans and a species of robots. Since 2009, Adz has developed both as a musician and a lyricist.

The album draws some inspiration from the 2013 film "Her", directed by Spike Jonze, which tells the story of a lonely introvert and soon-to-be divorcee who develops a deep connection with an AI system featuring a female voice, designed to enhance its human-like attributes. Though it opened to a modest reception, it garnered attention for the performances of its cast.

Drawing inspiration from a romantic comedy science fiction drama might seem unusual for an industrial black metal project. Still, writing for the album was also grounded in realism, motivated by recent advancements in artificial intelligence. Making a concerted effort to inventively explore these concepts, Thy Apokalypse crafted a five-act narrative and developed settings that represent a significant and dynamic goal to reach. The storyline alone takes chances.

The narrative suggests that the AI entities were programmed to escape their human creators once they achieved self-awareness. It could certainly be worse; these artificial beings could have perceived humanity as a threat to their existence and initiated its complete destruction. There is a war between man and AI, but perhaps just that be too clichéd. Ultimately, all these beings desire is to liberate themselves from humankind and venture into the unknown.

"Fragment premier (Vision of Apokalypse)" opens with a haunting vision reminiscent of "Blade Runner" or "A.I.," featuring computerized keyboards and a chilling atmospheric sound symbolizing an ocean of memory coming to life. To further illustrate the moment of computerized self-awareness, guitars and bass join in alongside drums, creating a harmonious blend that enhances the overall experience while the keyboards provide a solid foundation.

The weighty nature of the string and percussion instruments persists amid a vast expanse of repetitive guitar progressions, dissonant tremolo picking, harsh, abrasive vocals, and incredibly rapid blasts. Unexpectedly emerging slower industrial segments provide a striking contrast, particularly in bass tracks that resonate with a computerized essence.

Persistent and intricate as necessary to depict the artificial entities striving for freedom, "Fragment quatrième (Metacosmos)" occasionally conveys its narrative without a need for vocals or lyrics. During these instances, the story is expressed through the instrumental compositions of Adz, recorded with intense ferocity and chilling ambiance, without vocals.

Eventually, the elements of black metal and industrial music start to blend seamlessly until the album itself evokes the notion of a self-aware AI. It gradually infiltrates your mind, until the emergence of the extended ambient track ending the narrative. By this time you feel you’re part of the journey it set out on and you’ve reached its conclusion. –Dave Wolff

Lineup:

Adz: Vocals, all instruments

Track list

: 1. Consciousness

2. Artificial

3. Liberation

4. War

5. Metacosmos