Euclidean – Quod Erat Faciendum


To say that Ambient Blackened Doom Metal is a touch inaccessible is like saying Brexit’s not going brilliantly. No band entering into the realms of this niche sub-genre does so with ideas of fame and fortune, simply a desire to create oppressive and expansive art. It’s in this jagged world that we find Euclidean and Quod Erat Faciendum (Division Records).

What’s striking upon first listen is the abundance of ideas on display. The album’s lyrical narrative follows four conceptions of the universe, from Christian and Pagan ideation to Pythagorean principles of creation and ruin. Heavy stuff. This ambition translates well into the album’s grandiosity and relative bombast; ‘Increatus’ serves as the introductory track despite approaching seven minutes in length, and sets out the band’s dynamic stall. There’s plenty here for Cult of Luna and Yob fans to latch on to from the first notes of the record.

Following this comes the first track-proper, ‘Numbers Hold Sovereignty’, an epic journey through labyrinthine, expansive passages that build over the hefty twelve minutes of running time. It does at times stray into being overwritten as the musicality begins to become stale and falter, certain movements outstay their welcome and become tiresome, with little by way of musical interest happening. The same cannot be said for the remainder of the album, however. ‘And God Bred Chaos’ and ‘Religio’ are superbly succinct and show the band working with more focus and restraint. It pays dividends and makes for a far more exciting listen.

It’s not only the shorter songs that pack a real punch; the album’s highlight, ‘As He Reached The Divine Yearning’ stands at a whopping thirteen minutes and fifty-nine seconds, but never wanes in its intrigue; a truly sprawling monolith of a journey, in every sense of the word. There are gentle moments of contemplation juxtaposed with all-out battery and sonic terror. A mixed bag of emotions wrapped in hellish delivery, the vocal performance is at its most dexterous on this song, moving from low-end demonic growls to eerie half-whispered infernal incantations; wonderfully adept songwriting and performances given by the unit at their most cohesive.

Instrumentally, a note is never out of place, and for the most part, the songs are well crafted and purposeful. The grand ambition Euclidean have doesn’t always result in success, but more often than not they deliver on their promises. A little restraint would go a long way to tighten up some of the less intriguing moments, but when the band is locked in focus they provide brilliantly ethereal, yet grimy and heavy soundscapes. By no means perfect, but well worth your time.

6 / 10

SAM SAVIGNY