Artefacts - 2024 - The Titan Chronicles Part II: Lucius

(75:15; Anti-Hero Records)






















Track list:
1. Gods and Mortals 3:47
2. Nephereth 7:46
3. The Tower of Irth-Anshar 7:18
4. Dragonfall 13:18
5. Her Brine Embrace 5:54
6. The Path of No Return 12:40
7. Augur the Age of Darkness 11:09
8. Corruption (Glory for the Fall) 8:06
9. For the Dead and the Undying 5:17

Line-up:
Siegfried Mercelis - keyboards
Niklaas Reinhold - vocals, choir
Gert Sergeant - drums
Tom Everaert – bass, choir
Tom Leemans – guitars, choir
Erik Vanhauwaert - guitars
with:
Bram Dewachter - guitars, choir
Tim Van Doorn - guitars, vocals
Lucinda Dewachter - vocals, choir
Dennie Grondelaers - vocals, choir
Sjoera Roggeman - vocals, choir
Peter Theuwen - vocals
Hilde Konings - choir
Ludwike van Kalmthout - choir
Evy Verbruggen - choir
Barbara van der Waerden - choir
Robbert Bakker - choir
Frederik Markusse - choir
Siegfrid Mercelis - choir
Gideon van Wingerden - choir
Onno pels - choir
Frank Lycops - choir
Sam Vos - choir


Belgian band Artefacts has been a feature in the Belgian music scene for close to ten years at this point, although they didn't start releasing any material in any official manner until 2022. Following two initial singles and an EP, the band released their debut album "The Titan Chronicles Part II: Lucius" through the label Anti-Hero Records in the fall of 2024.

It is an elegant and majestic variety of extreme metal that appear to be the speciality of this band, and that they explore those tendencies on a concept album, this album being the second chapter in a story where one might presume that the first part might see the light at some point too, is a little factoid that I guess will be an interesting one in itself for some.

Elegant and sophisticated compositions are the ongoing feature here, with many of the songs opening up in a careful and alluring manner with a single piano motif gradually building by way of orchestral sounds before the rhythm section and the guitars kick in after a bit. The orchestral arrangements here tend to be of the majestic kind, and are used as a standalone element in interludes along the way in addition to combining with the piano as described as well as added as overlays in the metal parts of this album.

As far as the metal goes, we get slower paced passages m ore in line with regular symphonic metal as well as firmer, harder and more uptempo displays of extreme symphonic metal here. More often than not with orchestral layers as an ongoing feature. The orchestra adding a warmer and more organic quality that contrast the harder guitars and rhythms in addition to providing depth and a majestic feel in a manner that tend to be elegant in nature.

An additional feature is the use of a backing vocal choir, which further adds to the contrast and the natural tension that comes with this feature, and in some parts of the album this backing choir also contribute to creating a little bot of a sacral or religious feel.

The harsh, dry and distorted vocals have a tone, timbre and execution to them that rather remind me of Norwegian band Dimmu Borgir. With a steadfast orchestral presence to boot, this is an impression that is emphasized quite a bit too: I suspect most fans of this veteran Norwegian band would feel right at home with the landscapes explored on this production. I would say that Artefacts is a band that are a bit more elegant in nature though, and also a band that set aside a bit more time and space for the orchestral arrangements and the backing choir to make them a greater and more important part of the proceedings.

"The Titan Chronicles Part II: Lucius" strikes me as a most solid and well-developed debut album by Artefacts, a creation with a clear goal and philosophy behind the manner in which the compositions are developing and where the moods and atmospheres appear to be planned with a meticulous attention to even the smaller details. In my view this is an album that should be quite the satisfying experience for the greater majority of people with an interest and affection for the symphonic extreme metal tradition.

Olav M. Björnsen, January 2025

Links:
https://artefacts.band/
https://www.facebook.com/AntiHeroRecordsBelgium/

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