With Post Mortem as their second album, Splendidula shows us the kind of unique and enchanting sound they are capable of making. With a mind-boggling variety, from the mesmerizing chants to the earth-shattering heavy tones, throughout the whole album they are surely a welcome refreshment in the genre. Taking the lead as female vocalist, Kristien really knows how to hypnotize her audience. Supported by Pieter‘s harsh screams this album has everything you’d want, if a unique, refreshing album where the songs each get their time to shine is something you’d want of course.

With Post, Splendidula gently prepares us for the dark and heavy storm that is Post Mortem. Only to get smashed in the face as soon as Nami hits your eardrums. This song absolutely uses every second to show what kind of masterpiece this album is going to be for the rest of the journey. From entrancing chants to heavy burls and back, brought as smooth as one could wish for. We are then guided for a walk into darkness with Too Close To Me, with spoken parts that add a layer of discomfort and gloom while the vocals become even more bewitching the longer we tread on in this murky path. We reload with the heavy caliber .38, a powerful blast of energy in contrast to the previous track

There is no escape from Insanity as we get possessed by siren chants and heavy riffs alternated by dreamy acoustics.  Aturienoto makes you wonder if we didn’t stumble upon a ritual of some kind, not that it matters since you’ll be swept away from the first note. The fact that they went with French as the language of choice for the lyrics in this song is a surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one. We sail towards the end of the album in a stormy Stream of Consciousness. We close the gates and lay this journey to rest as we finish with Mortem, the second part that bookmarked this album, a genuinely enthralling piece that will only make you long for more.

This album is a welcome and fresh view on a genre that is getting more and more recycled. The unique vocals and craftsmanship of all the band members truly deserve praise and recognition. A band of which this small country can and should be proud of.

Release date: December 14th, 2018
Label: Inverse Records
Tracklist:
1. Post
2. Nami
3. Too Close To Me
4. .35
5. Insanity
6. Aturienoto
7. Stream of Consciousness
8. Mortem