Doom OGs Trouble had a track called “Misery Shows” back on their third full-length in 1987 and that song title probably offers the best description of of the gnarly sludge on display on French duo Azken Auzi‘s new record,Infernua. These dudes—Ludo (vocals/guitar) and Fred (drums)—don’t sound like Trouble, butInfernuais as misery soaked as gets, and it definitely shows. The six-tracker grinds along at a glacial pace, peppered only by occasional bits of sampled dialogue and Ludo’s wretched vocals. It’s as black and bleak as the trio of ravens perched on the cover.
Infernua is the follow-up to the band’s 2022 self-titled effort. It’s set for release on CD, viny and digitally on March 6 via Argonauta Records. Place your preorder here.
The band described the making of Infernua:
“Three years after our debut, we return with a new opus: Infernua. In this time we’ve played countless shows, pushed ourselves further and finally shaped the sound we were truly searching for. The result is a darker, more technical and more mature form of occult doom and sludge, forged through many different influences but driven by a single vision. With Infernua we feel we’ve found our real identity. The album dives deep into the shadows of the human soul, exploring its fears, obsessions and inner conflicts. From the opening notes, which mark the evolution of our music, to the final, more ethereal track where we wanted to leave a fragile sense of hope, every song reflects who we are today.This is our most honest and uncompromising work so far, and it’s meant to be experienced from start to finish.”