It’s endlessly fascinating to me to witness less common ideas come to my attention as even a small difference can make for an eye-opening experience that makes you wonder just how there aren’t more bands out there delivering such a sound more often. When I came upon Abyssic a few months ago with their blend of death, doom, and symphonic metal, I was left absolutely flabbergasted simply at how well it worked that the question bored its way into my mind: why isn’t this concoction more of a thing?! In the right hands, it can effortlessly become something otherworldly and downright captivating. Mare Infinitum was not a name that I was aware of before tonight, but now after hearing their third opus I am disappointed in myself for not discovering this marvel sooner.

By themselves, the worlds of death-doom and symphonic metal have times and places where they are simply equivalent to a chef’s kiss for what they’re able to deliver with each being distinct in their own rights with plenty of time to shine for all that they can be. Yet, together they can make for something that I just could not turn away from given Mare Infinitum’s approach to it. After several years of honing their craft and really showing us what such a combination is capable of, it is certifiably with their third album, “Cryosleep” that gives 2022 the soulful, powerful, and utterly jaw-dropping creation that many of us didn’t know we needed. It can be one thing to have an album described as a metaphoric “tear-jerker”, but rarely does such a description fit the album in question which Mare Infinitum has more than fit the bill for. Every second of every minute of every one of the five tracks that adorn “Cryosleep” are some of the most absolutely fascinating creations of heaviness that I’ve ever found myself listening to as it has been several hours now that I’ve roused up the words to finally do what I can to describe what I felt after being rooted in my seat for several rotations of this mastery. Yet, it’s even now that I realize I would be lucky to even scratch the surface of what Mare Infinitum has achieved here with “Cryosleep”. Just as vicious as it can be beautiful at any given moment, the wonderfully dynamic and gorgeous nature of Mare Infinitum is in full effect for this album to really become all that it can be without so much as a shred of shame or regret for missed opportunities for it is the undeniable entirety of “Cryosleep” that Mare Infinitum should be find themselves extremely proud of.

This possibly might be more than enough for the record to earn the title of being one of the year’s best as we’re nearing the end of it. A last-minute surprise is always something that I think many of us can appreciate, and if Mare Infinitum doesn’t qualify as such then I don’t know what that even is anymore. “Cryosleep” is far more than I think any single one of us could have ever anticipated with it destined to become an underground jewel that I highly doubt will ever lose its spectacular luster.

“Cryosleep” releases on December 16th via Solitude Productions!

LISTEN to an advanced track from “Cryosleep” on Bandcamp here.

LIKE Mare Infinitum on Facebook here.