Album Review: Décryptal - Simulacre
Reviewed by Sam Jones
It’s become apparent that July is heavy on promising, upcoming death metal acts and I certainly am not shying away from checking them out. This time we’re looking at Quebecois extreme metal act Décryptal who are seeking to release their first full length album titled Simulacre. Formed in 2020 out of Quebec, Canada, the band hail from a specific region of the world that has seen some of the most iconic bands of the last twenty years: Forteresse, Outre-Tombe, Chthe’ilist to name a few. Now I remember when their debut Demo, 2023’s Sabazios Culte, first released and I recall it being a promising start, so promising in fact the band were signed on to Me Saco Un Ojo Records from the start. Well, with Simulacre penned in for a July 11th release window the band find themselves on the up given the digital, CD and cassette editions of this record are to be distributed via Rotted Life Records whilst the vinyl is to be managed through Me Saco Un Ojo Records. So, with two different record companies looking to share pieces of Décryptal’s pie and knowing their allure to abstract horror and occultism’s Simulacre should hopefully prove to be a devastating listen.
There are certainly many examples of dirty death metal releasing this July and Decryptal is merely one such band, though whilst their sound feels like it’s borne from some subterranean depths, the production is actually very smooth. It’s as if we’ve unearthed something that might have seen the light of day before, brought to the surface without grime or dirt coating its textures although it’s clearly been buried. As a result the band have greater freedom to have their record sound exactly the way they wish and no technique, no lick, no minute trace of evil can go lost amidst the ever-churning waves their sound generates. It ensures fewer elements are in play that could potentially mire the band’s intentioned sound to what the audience receives.
Given the band’s approach to production, it’s no wonder as to why their performance possesses such an affinity for synergy. It’s difficult to separate the riffs from the drums from the vocals as everything on record seems to blend together, whereby this becomes an organically captured sound as opposed to men in a band. But it’s far from messy as simple listening will demonstrate; the band’s performance may carry this collective vibe but you could still pick out where the guitar and basslines are and what they’re providing for the record in the moment. This is half the band’s appeal. They may propagate this terrifying soundscape but it’s never a challenge to experience it in its entirety, your senses being given a free pass too. It’s blesses you with a freedom to really listen closely and appreciate the turns and nuances Decryptal are able to pour into their songwriting rather than employ crushing depravity to make up for it. There’s an obvious desire to subject us to some cacophonous soundscape but it’s far from the only thing on their mind.
From the outset it would be easy to deem this another work of straight up cacophonous death metal, yet continued listening reveals more cerebral, spacey styles of riffs and aesthetics thrown in. At speed the band certainly bring that crushing, dispiriting ambience which, coupled with the bass, establishes a naturally heavy vibe that doesn’t feel forced or artificially heightened. But half the guitar work applied isn’t geared towards these outpourings of plain violence; the songwriting is moulded towards these left-field sequences where the riffs almost feel slanted, reaching for something beyond the dimensions of the record. It’s a welcome surprise yet not entirely unexpected given the acclaim of the Quebecois scene. There are numerous audio clips of suffering, of viscous landscapes, you’ll feel the various licks practically leap off the fretboard as they meander away from conventional riffs, snaking, jutting, wailing, periodically sprouting avant-garde styled soloing that’s always a joy to behold.
Half the reason this is such a rewarding listen is down to how it flows. You can compose the most memorable songwriting of all time, but if it doesn’t feel good to listen to its potential goes to waste. This is where Simulacre shines, for every element, regardless what track or section you're listening to, is carefully constructed, with each band member in place to infuse the band with their specific performance. It really is the emphasis of Controlled Chaos as whilst you’ll recognise there’s a lot going on, you’ll never feel overwhelmed by how much they can throw at you at any one time. The drums are these incessantly performed strikes that hardly stop for anything, always changing, blast beats or otherwise, but due to the mix and their role they’ve assumed in the track you’re experiencing it feels mature, professionally written. This is a band that knows precisely what they’re doing and how they can achieve their goals. They harness immense power but it’s never flaunted with juvenile arrogance; you know they could go so much harder on the senses but that isn’t their prerogative for Simulacre. It’s elemental, more atmospheric, without slamming it in our face, and ultimately crafts a soundscape we’ll absolutely want to return to.
In conclusion, Simulacre is an incredible first album release for Decryptal; they really couldn’t have done a better job considering this record will be many people’s first experience with the band. They manage to craft this dark and eerie soundscape without trying; there are atmospheric elements employed but the instrumentation and vocals remain the primary means. It also flows like honey even when it reaches its most destructive climaxes, and when the band undergo their more cerebral, unearthly riff pieces it’s so satisfying to experience because you’ll feel like the band really earned the right to give you those pieces since their songwriting seemingly leads up to those left-field inclusions. I think Decryptal will become a band to watch out for and many will be in just the same boat as myself; this kind of dark death metal isn’t easy to pull off and risks, especially nowadays, at getting lost in the plethora of likewise acts but Decryptal easily stand out. Simulacre is as fantastic a debut album as a band like Decryptal could hope for.
