Jesus fuckin’ Christ on a stick! Fractal Universe just shat out The Great Filters today, April 04, 2025, and it’s a goddamn ear-bleeder. These French lunatics - been at it since 2013 - dropped this on M-Theory Audio, and they’re hawking it like rare porn: 500 red and black splatter vinyls for the wannabes, 200 red and cream marble ones for the psychos, plus CDs, digital, and a shirt if you’re not broke. I’m spinning it now, and it’s like they took a baseball bat to my head and laughed about it.
This ain’t your dad’s prog death metal - it’s a sloppy, loud mess that’d make your mom puke her guts out. They’re riffing on that Fermi Paradox crap - why aliens don’t call us - and it’s heavy as a truck full of bricks. Vince Wilquin’s up front, shredding guitar and screaming like he’s possessed, then crooning all spooky-like ‘til you’re creeped out. Valentin Pelletier’s bass is thumping so hard my nuts are vibrating, and Clément Denys is smashing drums like he’s pissed at ‘em - fast as hell, then some weird-ass beat that fucks with your head.
And - get this - they’ve got a fuckin’ saxophone in there. Yeah, a sax, like they’re jazz nerds who lost a bet. But it’s not lame - it’s nuts, wailing like a chick getting chased in a horror flick, then going apeshit with the riffs. You’d think it’d suck, but nah, it’s like throwing gasoline on a bonfire - makes the heavy shit heavier. The whole thing’s loud, sloppy, and mean - sounds clean enough to hear every cymbal, but it’s got that dirty, sweaty vibe, like they played it in a basement full of beer cans.
It’s nine songs of “we’re all fucked” vibes - humans screwing ourselves, blah blah - but who cares about the words when your ears are bleeding? Riffs hit like a punch to the face, then it slows down all eerie-like ‘til you’re sucked back into the grinder. They’ve been at this since Engram of Decline, toured with Obscura and Black Dahlia Murder, and this feels like they’re ready to burn a stage down. It’s not fancy - it’s a big, dumb, awesome pile of noise (smart noise?) that’ll make you wanna punch a wall and laugh.
For the metal weirdos out there, this is your shit - heavy enough to break shit, smart enough to brag about, and so batshit you’ll shove it in your buddy’s face going, “Dude, listen to this!” Crank it ‘til your speakers blow, then tell the neighbors to eat a dick. I’m hooked, and you will be too.
https://www.instagram.com/fractaluniverseband
Thanks to Grand Sounds PR.
