Reviewed: May 2022
Released: 2022, Bravemusic
Rating: 3.5/5
Reviewer: Demitri Levantis
Sentient (Chapter 1) is the latest EP from the instrumental group, Stellar Death hailing from Washington DC. It is the first in a series of releases that make up an exploration of consciousness in the universe and having heard their previous album Fragments Of Light last year, I think it’s safe to say these guys have made an interesting impact with this first chapter.
Sentient (Chapter 1) opens with “Emergence,” a crescendo of black and death riffs and crunching drums that blast into an atmosphere of humungous range detailing the vastness of the universe. It sets up an image of the listener journeying out into the unknown and offers a tingling that might be felt if one were ever to go beyond the earth’s atmosphere.
“I Am” then continues the journey by personifying a feeling of space travel through the speedy percussion and wide echoing guitars. We see here that you don’t always need vocals and lyrics to paint an epic picture of an experience as wonderous as going into space, or an exploration of the universe on the whole.
“Capacity to Suffer” is the most ambient of these three tracks and closes the EP with an ethereal vibe that reminded me a lot of the ending of 2001: A Space Odyssey. If Stellar Death wanted us to feel like we were staring into a void like the one in that film, they’ve made a brilliant attempt at lifting you to a level of intrigue and immersion that one might feel if they ever get the chance to experience the great beyond.
Overall, this is an intriguing opening to a series of releases, and it will be interesting to see what comes next in the sequence. One thing that makes a good album or story is a strong opening and Stellar Death’s opening release is a memorable one that will leave you excited to hear what comes in the next chapter.
Video:
Tracklisting:
1. Emergence
2. I am
3. Capacity to Suffer
Band line-up:
Matt Kozar – Guitars, keys, drum programming
Scott Loose – Guitars, bass, keys, drum programming
Band Websites:
Bandcamp
Facebook
Instagram
