The Great Old Ones – Cosmicism

4th August 2019 0 By David Missildine

“The most merciful thing in the world, I think, is the inability of the human mind to correlate all its contents. We live on a placid island of ignorance in the midst of black seas of infinity, and it was not meant that we should voyage far.” – H. P. Lovecraft (1980 – 1937)

French atmospheric black metal band The Great Old Ones having been channeling the spirit and literary heritage of H. P. Lovecraft through three other album releases. Cosmicism is their fourth album and it lures listeners deeper into the abyss of darkness.

The Great Old Ones formed in 2009 in Bordeaux, France, a city famed for its secrets, releasing their debut album to critical acclaim. After some successful tours and appearing on the billing for some respected festivals and releasing two more successful albums, The Great Old Ones are ready to release their next audio cosmic horror.

The idea behind Cosmicism is that humans are godless creatures who are totally insignificant in the grand scheme of our cosmic universe. You know, something to feel good about yourself.

The album takes the listener on a cold journey through the depths of space with intricate, beautiful, and twisted melodies interspersed over raw harsh black metal ultimately leaving the listener screaming and laughing hysterically in madness. Well, hopefully not. If the elder gods leave us alone just long enough to taste the bitter madness being offered, we might get away unscathed but perhaps entertained.

The Great Old Ones balance the harsh with the melodic atmosphere very well. This dichotomy is entrancing and leaves the listener traveling through the horrific and nightmarish but giving glimpses of rest and healing for the brain. Acoustic intros and outros along with tasteful synths keep the songs dynamic. The band embraces this subtlety and conjures up magical cosmic horror.

I particularly love the artwork by Jeff Grimal. The production and mixing is great, allowing you to hear all the parts of this complicated odyssey. I really enjoyed the journey through chaos and beauty. Hopefully I keep my sanity long enough to give it a score. Highly recommended to black metal and Lovecraft fans.