Plasmodium - Entheognosis (2016)

Entheognosis, released in 2016 by the Australian quintet Plasmodium, has unfortunately been largely unnoticed even though it is one of the most impressive, interesting, and best, black metal album of recent years. Why? I suppose because their music is so unusual and challenging (I considered reviewing it for a few years until now but I wasn't really decided about what to say about it ! And there would be so much to say...). I've been listening to the most extreme and radical metal and free jazz for twenty years now, but still wasn't sure how to handle this one! Four tracks in one hour of "undulating psychedelic darkness" as they present it.  It's for sure related to the most dissonant and free form black metal, but most Blut Aus Nord music sounds like pop songs compared to it. Maybe we could say it's in a weird and crazy place somewhere between Blut Aus Nord and John Zorn. Well, just listen to it and you'll see... It's challenging but very worth it, very special and strong. It really deserves more recognition.

The Bandcamp page.