Persefone: Lingua Ignota, Part I (2024, Napalm Records)

The Andorran melodic and progressive death metal band Persefone is back after the outstanding album Metanoia (2022, Napalm Records) with the EP Lingua Ignota: Part I, an EP composed of five new songs in which vocalist Daniel R. Flys who joined the band in 2023 after the departure of Marc Martins Pia, this being the first album of the band in which the vocalist participates.

Guitarist Carlos Lozano comments: “Writing music for Lingua Ignota Pt. I has been a journey by itself. We ask ourselves all the time how to explore different ways to make our sound fresh, how to avoid old patterns and mannerisms, and often, this leads to endless layers of rhythmic and harmonic complexity added to the songs. By the time we had to approach ‘The Equable’, we noticed that the bravery wasn’t about going crazy with our own skills, since we’ve already done that in the past… but it was about stripping the song of all that made us comfortable. ‘The Equable’ is as honest and simple as we have been able to do it. By the time the song was ready, we were both in love and scared about it, and we think that this is the right way to feel in order to reach new places. We hope you find joy in these notes“.

Lingua Ignota: Part I begins with the hypnotic introduction Sounds And Vessels that begins with a most mystical atmosphere that little by little gives way to its vocalist Daniel Rodríguez Flys welcoming us with his aggressive register before his companions team welcome us with a good sonic display that gives way to One Word.

From this moment on we are introduced to the musical universe that guitarists Carlos Lozano and Filipe Baldaia manage to create thanks to their forceful and methodical riffs, where the rhythm section led by bassist Toni Mestre and drummer Sergi Bobby Verdeguer stand out at all times, all surrounded by the keyboard lines of Miguel Moe Espinosa that, at a certain point, remind me a lot of the combination of melodic death and groove of the Swedes Orbit Culture, bridging the gap.

The Equable begins with a calm introduction to which a very catchy guitar riff is quickly added that matches perfectly with Espinosa‘s keyboards before the portentous rhythmic base hits us in the face with forcefulness and again a magnificent work of guitars. The voice of Daniel Rodríguez and the aforementioned Espinosa manage to provide a balanced sound where everything is in its place, at times aggressive like hell itself and at the same time sweet and mellow like a spring breeze.

Lingua Ignota: Part I says goodbye in a somewhat more relaxed way with Abyssal Communication, a calm and melancholic song where we can also find outstanding vocal work. The depressive atmosphere that gives shape to this last composition is perfect to close a solid and well-worked album, where its components have given the best of themselves in order to create their most complete work to date.

Tracklist:

Sounds And Vessels
One Word
The Equable
Lingua Ignota
Abyssal Communication

Catch Persefone live on tour with Hypno5e, Stellar Circuits and Lampr3a:
February 10 – Metropool, Hengelo (The Netherlands)
February 11 – Asgaard, Ghent (Belgium)
February 12 – Schlachthof, Wiesbaden (Deutschland)
February 13 – La Machine, Paris (France)
February 14 – Le Ferrailleur, Nantes (France)
February 15 – La Nau, Barcelona (Spain)
February 16 – Copérnico, Madrid (Spain)
February 17 – Espace Claude Ducert, Toulouse (France)
February 18 – Rock ‘n Eat, Lyon (France)
February 19 – KiFF, Aarau (Switzerland)
February 20 – Feierwerk, Munich (Deutschland)
February 21 – Viper Room, Vienna (Austria)
February 22 – Analog Music Hall, Budapest (Hungary)
February 23 – Kasarna Karlin, Prague (Czech Republic)
February 24 – 2Progi, Poznan (Poland)
February 26 – Cassiopeia, Berlin (Deutschland)
February 27 – Logo, Hamburg (Deutschland)
February 28 – Valand, Gothenburg (Sweden)
February 29 – Hus 7, Stockholm (Sweden)
March 1 – Stengade, Copenhagen (Denmark)
March 2 – Béi Chéz Heinz, Hannover (Deutschland)
March 3 – Kulttempel, Oberhausen (Deutschland)
March 5 – The Exchange, Bristol (UK)
March 6 – Audio, Glasgow (UK)
March 7 – Satan’s Hollow, Manchester (UK)
March 8 – Boston Music Room, London (UK)
March 9 – The Black Lab, Lille (France)
March 10 – Dynamo, Eindhoven (The Netherlands)