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! ! ! ! !
Artist......: Maladie
Album.......: Symptoms IV
Year........: 2024
Genre.......: Black Metal
Type........: EP
Label.......: Apostasy Records
Language....: English
Source......: WEB/FLAC (24bit)
Quality.....: 1699kbps / 44.1 kHz / Stereo
Tracks......: 8 tracks
Playtime....: 00:39:32
Size........: 480.4 MiB
R.Date......: 2026-07-06
S.Date......: 2024-11-29
Url.........: https://open.qobuz.com/album/dsk0pl1jd21mc
01. The Calm Mind 5:25
02. Becoming 4:06
03. Far Away, at Home 4:56
04. The Principle 4:33
05. Between the Stars 6:09
06. Of Mysteries and Secrets 3:26
07. Rebirth 4:27
08. Art Is God 6:31
Releasing their first album in 2012, the creative
collective known as Maladie (whose line-up has, at
times, comprised no less than nine members) soon became
known - in certain circles at least - for their uniquely
(and apologetically) unconventional brand of
genre-agnostic, avant-garde extremity whose shamelessly
proggy, quasi-blackened style drew initial comparisons
to the likes of Arcturus, Sigh and White Ward (check out
this article for a primer if you'd like to know more
about their earlier works).
In recent years, however, their sound has become even
less bound by the restrictions of genre (incorporating
even more influences from Prog, Rock, and even Pop along
the way) with the result being that their last couple of
records have paradoxically been both less "extreme" but
more divisive than ever - too "accessible" for the Metal
scene, but still too artsy for the mainstream!
It's only fitting, then, that the last track here is
entitled "Art is God", as that really sums up Maladie's
outrageous modus operandi - music is their one and only
muse, and they're going to follow it wherever it leads
them.
As a result, Symptoms IV definitely won't be for
everyone - though fans of Sigh may well enjoy the
bizarre melding of radio-friendly Prog Rock and
riff-fuelled Trad Metal, replete with brassy bursts of
squalling saxophone, which makes up songs like
"Becoming" and "The Principle" - but definitely offers
an intriguing glimpse into the band's collective
mindset... especially for those who find themselves a
little curious for something a little bit "outside of
the box".
And while it doesn't always come together as anything
more than the simple sum of its parts (and some of those
parts don't always gel as well as perhaps they should)
those willing to indulge their curiosity will still find
it rewarded, with highlights like the unpredictably
proggy, yet unapologetically infectious, "Far Away, At
Home", the anthemic extravagance of "Between the Stars",
and stripped-down, straightforward rocker "Of Mysteries
and Secrets" (think Devo does Judas Priest) helping make
up for the album's occasional flaws!