The wonderful people of France have provided us with some legitimately great metal over the years, so it’s not surprising at all to hear Bordeaux’s Nihilaeth freakin’ kill it on the 8-string guitar – and then some more! The one-man band presents an original and refreshing vision for modern metal by forging a sound that’s heavily electronic. As much as good ol’ heavy metal is being experimented upon, it’s still rare to hear guitar-driven grooves sound this digital!

Not that Transcendental Apperception, Nihilaeth’s 5-song EP, will end up as recommended listening for Eurotrance lovers. Rather, it’s better suited towards open-minded Meshuggah fans and cyborgs. Besides the masters of skull-splitting Swedish polyrhythms, Nihilaeth is clearly influenced by Goa trance, as evident by the psychedelic, twisty-twirly synth lines permeating the 8-string stabs and growls.

You don’t need hallucinogens or a calculator to be able to enjoy this fine slab of robotic warfare battle music, though we absolutely won’t judge if you partake. The songs are also highly ambiental in nature, rich in texture and layering. You can bang your head to them, trip out to them, meditate to them, and probably mass-murder cybernetic war organisms to them. Talk about a fun record!

Overall, Nihilaeth has crafted a very intriguing and modern sound. We’d love to hear him take it even further on his next release!