On the 18th of March French band Stengah release their debut album “Soma Sema”, a magnificently brutal ten-track offering that will absorb you.
From the opening riff salvo of “Weavering”, you know this album is going to be something else. “At The Behest Of Origins” opens with a funky beat that explodes into chaos as Nicolas Queste powerfully roars his way onto the track, the track ebbs and flows between an intense and a languid pace with a not so subtle heaviness. “Above Inhumanity” opens with a relentless drumbeat that sets the tone for the track, killer riffs and booming bass build a nice base for Queste’s savage vocals to feed off, the best track on the album. “Swoon” builds slowly to a groove-laden track that sees Queste alternate between screamed and clean vocals, a nice change of pace from the previous track while maintaining the heaviness. “Lumen” is packed with crushing riffs; with an underlying off-beat funky bassline and thumping drums, once again Queste slays on vocals showing his undeniable ability towards the back of the track where he softly serenades you, another great song. “Message In Memories” is the closest these guys will ever come to a mainstream power ballad, a soft opening builds to a crescendo whereupon Queste and co blitz you with screamed vocals, frenzied guitars and drums with a thumping bass line, there is a real Gojira feel to this, a brilliant track.
“Blank Masses Inheritance” is a bass-heavy number with some that will blow you away, a slow heavy grinder that brutally explodes in places before mellowing out to a softly strummed guitar and drum beat. “He And The Sea” hits you with a wall of sound, chugging riffs, crazy drums and funky bass, with Queste channelling his inner Max Cavellera you just can’t go wrong with this groovy beast. “The Overman” turns it up a notch here, a fast blistering drum beat with a heavy bass help drive the track alongside chugging riffs and, the most surprising thing on the album, a saxophone, melodious in spots with Queste putting in his usual shift. The album closes with “Offering”, a mash-up of all things metal, from death to metalcore to prog it’s all here, a fitting end to a brilliant album
Review: Conor
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Stengah are
Nicolas Queste Vocals
Eliott Williame Drums
Benoit Creteur Bass
Maxime Delassus Lead guitar
Alex Orta Rhythm guitar
www.facebook.com/stengahproject