After a delay of a couple of months, French extreme metallers SETH return with their long-awaited fourth album - their first for new label Avantgarde Music.

While much of SETH’s work on Era Decay could be broadly described as “black metal”, this album is quite diverse. Many songs contain parts in a melodic style, using harmonics, single-note riffs and harmonies in a similar way to the newer sound of more accessible black metal bands like Susperia and Dimmu Borgir. But occasionally SETH revert to fast, raw brutality in the tradition of the Scandinavians and these more extreme parts are accentuated by the growls of Black Messiah on vocals, and the blistering double-kicks of Alsvid, (also of Enthroned) on drums.

SETH shift pace a lot on Era Decay and this makes for an interesting listen – the first song, March Of The Consistory for example shifts from a galloping, thrashy riff to a mid-paced, black/doom sound reminiscent of Samael’s older work. The extremity is also occasionally broken up with haunting, clean, guitars and some melodic bass work, and these sections compliment the heavier parts without sounding disjointed or out of place, (the intro and outro of Xtasian Ostix are good examples of this).

Mention must also be made of the use of electronic soundscapes on Era Decay. Track 5, Ascention is an eerie, desolate instrumental that at times wouldn’t be out of place in a science fiction film! Some interesting synth is also used to good effect in the closing track, The Blade Upon Mankind and with increased use of these bleak synth sounds SETH could add even more depth to their already intricate music.

On Era Decay, SETH have delivered a powerful, well-written album that shows they are willing to incorporate many different elements into their sound to create mature, unique and ultimately very heavy music.