Profound Lore Records clearly has an eye for talent and a deep roster. Whether it’s Stygian Bough, Spirit Possession, or Krallice, they’re all bands who have pushed the extreme metal genre to new heights with recent releases.
Enter Artificial Brain.
Now based in Richmond, Virginia, the band have developed a cult fan following and are amongst the most requested bands for festivals like Damnation and Incineration here in the UK. Describing their sound “as sinuous, futuristic black metal melody onto a dense and imposing death metal skeleton”, my curiosity was at its peak and needed to be satisfied. How would this mix of styles manifest on their 4th full length Antillia? Would this be able to uphold the fierce reputation their record label has built? Is the hype justified? Let’s find out…
Artificial Brain have no intentions of easing you in gently! No, within seconds, you’re dragged into the maelstrom of the opening song ‘The Wandering Star Prion’. The densely layered walls of caustic distortion sit over a blistering fast rhythm section, designed to consume and engulf the listener! Though they can slow the pace right down in ‘Quantum Malignancies’ and prove they can be just as devastating at half the tempo. It’s this constant shifting of tempo and dynamics that keeps the album interesting and guards against staleness. Whilst these opening songs are abrasive and dissonant by design, we can see more subtle psychedelic and melodic elements seep into the ever-expanding tapestry of sound at tactical intervals throughout the album. Much like that of Cryptic Shift or Blood Incantation.
Speaking of melodic, we’re introduced to some impressive solo guitar work on Antillia. Just check out the stunning work on ‘Deciphering The Anachrostic Tongues Of The Relic Satellites’; let me know once you’ve picked your jaw off the floor! This seemingly came right out of nowhere too, with this unpredictable nature of the music being a major pull and component in Artificial Brain’s sound.
Though perhaps a personal highlight of the album comes in the shape of ‘Planet Carrion’. The pace is low and slow at the outset, but this slowly quickens and momentum builds. As does the tension and sense of intrigue. You sense this is building towards a summit of sorts. Then it comes. All unmitigated hell is unleashed and that tension is released in a highly satisfying cathartic crescendo! Trust me, this is glorious!
Inter Arma fans will recognise the vocals of Mike Paparo. He puts in a hell of a shift with his consistently giant presence, and demonstrates his versatility with gnarly meaty growls interchanging effortlessly with fierce KVLT-like shrieks you’d normally associate with a black metal vocalist. This versatility is perfect for the genre-fluid sound Artificial Brain have grafted, being able to conjure up whatever atmosphere and dynamic the song dictates.
On the subject of atmosphere, let’s talk about the remarkable efforts made in the studio to craft this end product. In many ways, Artificial Brain have created a rod for their own back and backed themselves into a corner by trying to appease both fans of black and death metal. However, Antillia succeeds by capturing that infernal atmosphere and grit that black metal fans adore, whilst providing the sharp and refined polish that modern death metal fans have come to love and expect. Yes, Antillia feels raw, authentic, and believable, satisfying fans from all corners of the extreme metal world.
Profound Lore has got a real gem on their roster in the shape of Artificial Brain. Whilst Antillia will likely appeal to a small substratum of metal fans and lack mainstream appeal, this will likely be in the AOTY lists for extreme metal purists come the end of 2026!
