Review by Alex on May 11, 2022.

I've waited so long for the followup to 2016's Chapelle Ardente and finally here it is, the latest doom metal opus from Canada's Cauchemar. How did I find this band? I think I was looking up "modern doom metal" or something concerning Pagan Altar in 2017. And man, when the voice of Annick hit me on 'Nècromancie' I was sold and it's been that way ever since. Had to go back and check out Tenebrario and was impressed also with that work of art. Now It's been nearly 6 years since the release of Chapelle Ardente and I've been keeping an eye out to the point of them staring with disbelief once I saw Rosa Mystica pop up in the promo box. And what do I think after nearly 30 full listens, absolutely fantastic.

There was a considerable amount of pressure placed on the back of Rosa Mystica, provided Chapelle Ardente was such a great album; Cauchemar needed to deliver on the atmosphere, the licks, the vocals and overall memorability. And they did so seamlessly in so offering a spellbinding collection of heavy doom metal tunes that borrow from the likes of Thin Lizzy, Angel Witch and even Scorpions on songs such as the rocking 'Notre-Dame-sous-terre' and the glorious 'Danger De Nuit' that sounds like it could have been written for or ripped right off of Taken By Force. These two songs have serious instrumental impact, with the former placing you in the front row of a Thin Lizzy concert and the latter causing you to hear the voice of Klaus Meine in the back of your mind all the while being mixed with some black metal stringing. Other traits of Cauchemar could be heard throughout the album such as the chiming of the ritual bell on 'Volcan' (killer middle easter sounding solo by the way), and the organs that Annick handles so adeptly and of course the French tongue with which all songs are sung. These merged with the nightmarish atmosphere Cauchemar is able to conjure so easily, making for an unforgettable journey.

Moving onto tracks such as the acoustic dominated 'Rosa Mystica' and what seems to be a Motorhead inspired 'Le Tombeau De L'aube' merged with haunting winds, synth and all, you get the feeling that while being a full fledge Cauchemar undertaking, the band also used this as an opportunity to pay homage to the heavy metal fathers before them. All is well here but the main question for most I think would be is this better than Tenebrario or the daring Chapelle Ardente. For me at least I'd say Rosa Mystica is an album with its own face that stands on its own two and wants to be its own thing so it's really tedious to compare it to either of the two mentioned albums. But for what it offers I'd say that Cauchemar gave their best effort here in crafting something that can withstand the test to doom. Set to be released as a CD and on Vinyl through Temple Of Mystery 05/16/2022, get this if the spirit of metal/rock and doom still reside in you.

Rating: 8.7 out of 10

Review by Yener on May 9, 2019.

For some people, Antichrist Imperium’s first album may have very well gone unnoticed. I never quite understood this, as the band consists of very respectable musicians. We have members from Akercocke, Mithras, The Berzerker and My Dying Bride. Their first album (simply entitled The Antichrist Imperium) was a whirlwind of masterful musicianship and songwriting. And there’s something about this band that just has this vibe of evil that I absolutely adore and is unfortunately missing in a lot of today’s metal. 

That’s not the case with The Antichrist Imperium. They bring a feel and vibe which I think is sorely missed these days. That sense of darkness, despair, and foreboding evil. It lurks in every corner, it’s there in every shadow. It’s always there, and it’s one of the main things that drives me to these guys. So, I was quite excited to hear what their second offering would sound like.

Thankfully, it’s not a drastic change from their first, which quite honestly is pretty perfect and doesn’t need to be tweaked much. You see, this is a seasoned band. Despite this being their second album, the band members themselves have been around for a long, long time, and each are absolute professionals, and that really shines through on this album. The level of songwriting and musicianship is through the roof. Each section of each song is thought out with the most meticulous care and dare I say, love. They are crafted expertly, everything from the extremely fast sections, to the clean sections, to the keyboards - everything. Everything is done with the utmost care and love of the craft. 

With a name like The Antichrist Imperium, these guys have basically forsaken all forms of commercial success since their inception. They are here for the art, and it shows so clearly throughout this entire experience.

“The Dreadful Hosanna” Is the first thing you’ll hear, and if you’re familiar with their previous album, you’ll feel right at home. It has everything you loved about Akercocke - tasteful guitar lines, their sense of groove and just the way the song flows so easily, and the expert vocals of Samuel Loynes. Additional vocals and bass are provided by Sam Bean, who also does - surprise surprise - a fantastic job on both fronts. A prime example would be a particular passage in “Draw Down the Moon” which sounds spectacularly evil, and not from this world. 

Matt Wilcock puts in quite an astonishing performance. The thing that makes the guitar playing on this album so great is that Matt knows exactly where to cut through, and where to back down, to support the current ongoing passage and rest of the band. Because this album is quite busy in the instrumentation, it’s especially important the instruments play off of each other well and support the ongoing passages in the best way possible.

Another thing that makes this album great is the mixing and mastering. Each instrument can be heard with proper definition and clarity, which on an album like this, is especially important. Sure, it’s heavy and it’s fast, but it’s also not your standard metal album with just guitars, drums and bass cranked up to ten. There is a whole lot more going on in here which demands clarity and punch. The drums sound like actual drums and not this overly triggered nonsense, the bass is nice and clear, and the guitars have just enough bite to where they are not obnoxious or overkill.

I’m not going to go over specific tracks or highlights, as there are so many sections on these songs that picking them out one by one would be an exercise in futility, and it’s just not needed. There are many captivating moments on here - the album is like peaks and valleys of emotions, moods and soundscapes. And I absolutely just love and admire the fact that Akercocke are still around and that is project is done just for the sheer love of music. Yes, they share a lot of similarities, but if I had to make the hard choice of just picking one, I think I’d stay right here, with The Antichrist Imperium.

By all rights, this is superb.

Rating: 9.5 out of 10