Larger than life, hypnotic and in many ways terrifying, Lhaad are a Belgian black metal group whose sound is all of those things and more. The bands hadopelagic wanderings have a certain vast darkness to them that makes the their new album Beneath undeniable. It's the sort of black metal that revels in its own cosmic scope, similar in vein to artists like Darkspace. The undeniable and crushing force of Lhaad is mesmerizing. It speaks to a bitter blackness that few of the bands peers can really delve into. These depths are not for everyone.
Beneath impresses because of the intensity of the work. As you go deeper and deeper into the release you increasingly get a sense of the bleak scope of what has been created here. It's hard not to be charmed by the grandiose imagery that they bring to the table and the breadth of vision. The undercurrent of oceanic themes is also a refreshing break from the usual obsessions with hell or the cosmos. Instead with Beneath we get a record that is bold, unrelenting and indicative of a much darker and more terrifying world right at our doorstep. While Lhaad aren't necessarily breaking any new ground, Beneath is still a deeply engaging record and one that belies serious songwriting talent.
Lhaad will draw you in with Beneath and never let you out. This is a record that burns through your soul and consistently reminds listeners exactly why we all fell in love with this type of music in the first place. If you're looking for anthems of darkness that lean into the larger than life and which consistently, unrepentantly drag you down with them then this is the album for you. Lhaad understand what it means to unveil glorious sonic torment and these ocean delving anthems seem to only get more compelling with each passing listen.
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