I’ve been sitting here for far too long trying to figure out how to even start this damned review. It gets to a point every now and then that I feel all but compelled to let this mess at a simple “fuck yeah”, but something tells me that’s not nearly enough to do justice for the record in question that befuddles me out of words. I have had the immense privilege of experiencing the forthcoming record from Et Moriemur for what’s almost been an entire day with the album on repeat, and it has yet to wane on me. Yet, I’m still at a loss for words. Perhaps, there’s not much I can say but I will do my best anyway even if I risk bordering on incoherence. No matter what, though, there’s no way I can sit here and not hail this effort as a truly titanic and monolithic creation that’s shaken me to my core.

When I had first heard Et Moriemur four years ago with “Epigrammata” like many others, I think it’s safe to say that many of us were caught off-guard by the eclectic mix of extreme metal styles mixed with a Greek theme that was brought together virtually flawlessly by Gregorian chants, jaw-dropping instrumentation, and untouchable talent that was all but wildly compelling right out of the gate. It made for a truly standout release that year with many hailing it as a creation that was the culmination of all that Et Moriemur had been building up towards for years now with the Greek aesthetic taken to a new glorious high without compromise which place Et Moriemur in a league all their own that saw them seeking to top only themselves. Truly, the mind was forced to wonder what else the band was capable of. Well, four years later and a surprising shift from Greece to Japan, it’s with their brand new album, “Tamashii No Yama”, that it’s against all odds which we see Et Moriemur create what could be considered their magnum opus with this record having their place as one of the year’s best performances all but sinched yet again.

You would normally think that in order to change from one culture to an entirely different one, that of different views, traditions, politics, wars, economy, and myths, you would have to radically change your sound to fit such a shift such that the resulting material doesn’t come across as some half-baked middle ground creation. I still don’t know how, but Et Moriemur managed to make that transition all but seamlessly to make the very essence of “Tamashii No Yama” something that simply must be experienced. I haven’t heard a more faithful rendition of the culture from an outsider’s perspective since that of the last Whispered album, but it’s even then that Et Moriemur continues to find themselves in a universe all their own with all that’s brought forth into the seven tracks of “Tamashii No Yama” one of the most gorgeous creations of its kind that I’ve had the extreme honor of listening to for hours on end. It’s an almost tear-jerking listen that’s absolutely wreathed with its own peaks and valley that always keep you on your toes for what comes next is never what you expect and Et Moriemur does no less than capitalize on that grandeur at virtually every turn to effortlessly make “Tamashii No Yama” far more than just another piece of the band’s epic sagas. Rather, it’s a truly magnificent work that is all but destined to stand as one of the year’s greatest performances for all that it brings to the table and all the glory that it executes at virtually every turn with naught but wild success to be had, and I can only hope that when this album lands it is given the wild round of applause and praise that it more than deserves.

As what’s likely the first album of 2022 to really catch me well and proper off-guard and shake me all the way to my very soul, it’s taken me far too long to type this review in order for you to hopefully feel compelled to listen to this magnificent creation but I also cannot feel that I haven’t done this wondrous experience nearly enough justice. There’s so much to be had within the confines of what “Tamashii No Yama” has to offer and I don’t care if I’m to be the only one to recognize the mastery that’s on full display for the whole of this creation but I will never stop singing the praises of this truly massive album. In every way, this record is all but essential and I can only fathom what else Et Moriemur is capable of after witnessing the true wonders of “Tamashii No Yama”.

“Tamashii No Yama” releases on April 8th via Transcending Obscurity Records!

LISTEN to advanced tracks from “Tamashii No Yama” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Et Moriemur on Facebook here.