Autonoesis - Moon of Foul Magics
Black metal, thrash metal, spanish-style guitar solos, Autonoesis has it all. Coming on to the scene in 2020 with their self-titled debut, Autonoesis quickly established themselves as one of the most versatile bands in the scene while also flying largely under the radar. Innumerable influences appear in their music, yet somehow manage to avoid clashing. The result is a dynamic, multifaceted second album, Moon of Foul Magics, that scratches every extreme metal itch while never stewing in reverence.
Inaugural track “Exile” sets the mood with a sweeping, medieval black metal instrumental before launching into the the titular track, “Moon of Foul Magics”. A behemoth of a song, this nine-minute black thrash rager blends progressive metal to great effect. Images of warlocks and witches most perverse dance as blistering d-beats are accentuated with haunting melodies before launching into the (aforementioned) sweeping guitar solo. Beginning with quasi-Spanish flare, it is not long before its cool mediterranean flare is supplanted by soaring heavy metal akin to Iron Maiden’s finest work.
“Raise the Dead” is more pungent. A torrent black and speed metal hellfire, it does not let up as blisters through its near five-minute runtime. Even slight forays into more prototypical, groovy thrash sections do not offer reprieve; they are short lived and only exist to flatter the unrelenting assault. Ending in uproarious fashion, it is not long before “Crypt of Thought” begins the slaughter anew. With some of the finest thrash riffing to grace god’s green earth, even Forever Abomination-era Skeletonwitch could not help but be jealous. A somewhat surprising foray into death metal groove only helps to further elevate its songcraft.
Canada’s finest join their perpetually-freezing Norwegian brothers on “Nihility, Endless Winter” as Autonoesis dabbles in the dark arts of second wave black metal. Inspired but not overtly-referential, it is a frost bitten beast lurking in the night. “Valhöll” employs the intrepid medieval flare of album opener “Exile” once again, a mere ruse as “The Conjurer” begins the black thrash attack anew.
“On Wings of Black Eternity” once again showcases Autonoesis’s flare for the progressive. Beginning with quiet guitar befitting of Yes’s palette, it does not take long for it to warp into a bastardized blend of power metal-esque riffing and blackened fury. Frantic buzzsaw riffing and frenetic drumming give way to the steady gallop of war thunder as Autonoesis soars on their penultimate track. Closing Moon of Foul Magic, however, is “Descending the Voids”’s honor. Autonoesis’s most blatant death metal influence rears its head as they showcase a song owing as much to Gorguts as Darkthrone. A labyrinthian meld of extreme metal’s most perverse instincts, it twists and twists again as it reaches its lofty conclusion.
