As The World Dies - Nebula

As The World Dies is a death metal band from England who formed in 2018. Their latest album, “Nebula,” is their second full-length album; they have also released a split. 

I reviewed their debut album, “Agonist,” back when I worked for Metal Temple and found it impressive. Now that I’m on my own, I’m honored to be able to review their new album. “Nebula,” is a much more cohesive experience and I feel the band has really zeroed in on their identity. As good as “Agonist,” was, it had a lot of guests in it. However, “Nebula,” feels like the band is truly on their own path.   

And what a path it is! The band continues to push the boundaries of death metal, adding in a prog touch with synths and industrial edges to create cosmic death metal on a grand scale. No doubt they have their own sound and with “Nebula,” it has been harnessed, honed, and released like never before.  

The production is clean and clear but I think it helps their sound—this is music where you want to hear every little detail and if it was more raw or under produced, then I think a lot of what makes the album stand out would be lost. The tone of the instruments is tight so the production doesn’t take away from the heaviness or intensity of the genre.

With that being said, the band’s progressive approach to death metal comes off as gripping instead of pretentious. The music is relatively simple but stands out because of how well composed the songs are. This is definitely an album that exemplifies the notion of “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

Everything the album does, works even if it shouldn't. Take, for example, the industrial synths at the beginning of the opening song, “Apophis.” Most bands in the death meal genre couldn’t make this work but they do. The alien sounds and the riffs contrast each other so much that they go full circle and pair effectively. This song acts as both an intro to the album and a full song—a fantastic way to open it because it shows off how the band takes an approach of being intense without going balls-out brutality just for the sake of it.

“Dark Oblivion,” opens up with what I can only imagine is a black hole sucking everything inside, leaving only the music thriving as the band comes to the forefront of the music. Very clever production and mixing, I must say. The riffs are subtle but well played as they push towards a driving rhythm as settling into the atmosphere. The vocals have a sort of hardcore/punk energy to them but, again, it’s an element that works in the band’s favor. The song switches gears to a slow, melodic piece that lets the vocals sink in while the band thrives in liminal spaces in between the riffs. 

“Blind Destiny,” has a killer, classic death metal opening as it bulldozes everything in its path. The vocals are fantastic as is the drumming–this song features the band firing on all cylinders on more straightforward, focused effort. Or does it? Subtle changes in the music crop up, especially near the end, allowing the band to breathe out their unique perspective on the genre.

“Voices of Angels,” is one of my favorites on the album because it displays the band’s penchant for epic but smooth melodies that meld themselves into the very fabric of the song in a natural way. Of course, it changes gears around the 2:10 mark for one of the most catchy moments on the album—those riffs absolutely fucking SLAM. The later half is surprisingly moody, what with a morbid harmony against the backdrop of robust double bass. Very cool song!

“Final Resting Place,” is a perfect ending for the album. This one is loaded with atmosphere, the band knowing exactly when to pour on the death metal and also when to make off and let their uniqueness shine. This one is tragic in a way, a final please for humanity in the face of assured destruction, whether by nature or by our own blood-soaked hands. 

As The World Dies continues to impress. “Nebula,” is an album that showcases their growing confidence as a band and ushers in their new era while also setting them up for the future. I can’t wait to see what else the band comes up with! 

Rating: Excellent