The concept of Gaerea has always outweighed the execution. They have a singular look that is stark and highly unique. Live, they are sensory overload encapsulated. A brain-befuddling cacophony of white noise and kinetic energy. On record, they have never really managed to bottle that lightning and capture their true unrepentant selves. Until Now. “Coma” is astonishing. It’s not as much astonishing as nearly downright perfect. It is one of the greatest examples of emotive euphoric black metal that I have ever been lucky enough to encounter.

It is a stridently upbeat and uplifting album. Everything reaches for the sky in a catapulting terminal velocity that just batters the senses. It is certainly the most cinematic and accessible that I think I have ever seen black metal be. It just sounds glorious. The component instruments combine together to create this beautiful cacophony of heavenly noise. It is exhilarating, it is exulting, and it feels transcendental in the way that it assaults the senses. A passionate, pulsating suite of songs that enraptures the listener. Pure pure joy.

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