Today, French eccentrics Erebe present the the music video and single “Replicate”, taken from their upcoming debut album “Aeon”, due for release on April 22.
“Replicate” incorporates elements from both shoegaze and contemporary music, but also features the band’s signature melodies as heard in the first single, “Drowned”. According to the band, “Replicate” is a song about the dehumanisation process inherent in the modern condition, one which leaves us severed from both nature and our selves – trapped in an endless cycle of menial workdays.
Listen to ‘Replicate‘ via your preferred digital platform now:
Erebe commented:
“Replicate” showcases some of the slower-paced facets of our craft. Here we have drawn plenty of influence from shoegaze with Hugo, Max, and Gus trading vocals in a reverb-drenched chorus. To contrast this, we wrote a bridge – based on various unsettling dissonances often associated with contemporary music – which then erupts in intense screams and virtuoso guitar solos. Conceived during the first lockdown of France, it was the final song we wrote for the album. Whereas the musical expression represents a desire to free oneself from this increasingly controlling society, the lyrics reflect feelings of captivity, surveillance, and repetitive tasks.
Erebe – Aeon
With influences ranging everywhere from contemporary music, ambient electronics, and shoegaze to extreme metal in its many guises, Erebe have chiselled out an obsidian slab of otherworldly sounds. Perhaps rooted somewhere between the realms of progressive rock and post-metal. As far as comparisons go, Opeth, The Ocean, Karnivool, Katatonia, and The Contortionist all come to mind at various points in this multifaceted masterpiece.
Erebe’s use of three different vocalists plays perfectly into the dramaturgy of their lyrics. In fact, multiple layers and harmonies are a pervasive characteristic of many aspects of this album. The complex song structures have been woven together and then executed in a masterful fashion. One of the main songwriters, rhythm guitarist Augustin Braud, is an accomplished and award-winning contemporary classical composer. Paired with several equally talented musicians from various artistic backgrounds, the end result is “AEON”.
Erebe’s debut album, “AEON”, will be released by Silent Future Recordings on April 8, 2022. It comes both as Digipak CD and coloured vinyl with stunning artwork by Simon Fowler (Year of No Light, Earth, Sunn o))), etc).
Asked about the title, the band says that “AEON” felt as a standout term to capture its atmosphere and ideas. With a conceptual foundation in contemporary art, literature, and philosophy, the narrative conveyed through Erebe’s lyrics are in a fully symbiotic relationship with the music. The primary theme revolves around grief in its many manifestations; some songs are written from the perspective of a protagonist whereas others are more subjective in their musings.
The actual musical journey is somewhat of a trip in itself. The first side shows Erebe’s traditional side, with several songs showcasing riff-infused progressive rock and dreamy shoegaze with melodic choruses. The songs on the second half are more experimental – but also show greater depth. The opener, “Sun Leak”, is the heaviest track on the record, undergoing numerous tempo-changes and constant vocal layering. “Into the Earth” is full of complex harmonies and dynamic rhythms, all of which come together in a profoundly emotional climax. The epic closer, “The Collector”, is an already dark piece blackened further by the guest appearance of Gorguts’ Luc Lemay, whose famed growling helps bring the tale to a satisfying end.
Erebe commented:
‘We feel greatly honoured that Silent Future Recordings chose to put their trust in Erebe and guide us through our debut album release. We are stoked to release “AEON”, a post-progressive metal LP encapsulating many individual influences merged in order to conjure up different elaborate soundscapes. The musical research and the resulting plurality, as we see it, fits with the intention of Silent Future Recordings: to promote original records with full respect to the artists’ choices. Andreas’ reactivity, consideration, and kindness have left us with complete confidence for what comes next.’
Tracklist:
1 – Structures
2 – Drowned
3 – Solid Sky
4 – Replicate
5 – Sun Leak
6 – Into the Earth
7 – The Collector ft. Luc Lemay
Release date: April 22, 2022
Formats: CD, Digital, LP