French black metal duo Physiology Of Darkness (I'm tempted to abbreviate it to POD) have been operating for 15 years at least. A totally new acquaintance to me, they probably started after the mid-noughties, as they debut with a demo-CD in 2007. Anyway, 'Human Circle' is already the band's third full-length album.

I listened to the band's older material and I can tell that they've always blended straight black metal with eerie atmospheres, and this new album is no exception. The sonical scapes POD have created are rather voluminous in mental imagining, almost spatial. Power chords and fast riff bursts, sometimes tremolo, drift above broad synthesizer carpets, ethereal female vocal chanting (or Indigenous Americans' voice) and pummeling rhythm section (operating from mid-paced to blast beats). I get reminded of Asgaroth and Arcturus way more than Darkspace. Often, the metal parts are pushed out and they let the atmospherics fully lead the show.

The time-space continuum gets confused as the songs can feel way longer than they actually are (still, 5-6 minutes isn't short), probably caused by unorthodox song-writing, but also by the fact that the songs are composed of similar parts and themes. This is more like a ritualistic experience (actually the lyrics tell a story of a Satanic ritual), not about verse-chorus-bridge style structural entirety. I personally do not find it highly esoteric, even though I generally like the sound POD have created; it just isn't going much anywhere.

I find the soundscape rather fascinating, but there is no memorable things here. Every time I start listening to the album, I enjoy it for a while, then it just turns into background music. Now there's something for the band to work on future releases.

Rating: 5½ (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
01/11/2023 20:42