Let’s be honest: it’s not the album’s visual aesthetic that initially draws you to Septaria. The cover art lacks inspiration, the typography is a reminder that—well—graphic design is a profession for a reason. Then suddenly, names like Gojira, Mastodon, and… Slowdive are thrown into the mix. At that point, you’re thinking: this is either going to be a complete mess, or something genuinely interesting might be about to happen.
68 minutes later (yes, the album is a bit on the long side), the young band from Vaucluse—averaging around twenty years old—prove with A that they’ve got some genuinely compelling ideas. Their prog-metal is steeped in a rich post-whatever-you-like blend: a powerful chiaroscuro sound, laced with tribal undertones and wandering through sonic landscapes reminiscent of bands like Psychonaut or The Ocean. Slowdive, though? Not so much—but fair enough.
Released via Klonosphere—a label that has brought us some real gems in recent times (Cleaver, Inner Landscape, Wizard Must Die, among others.) -—the album is now available in CD and digital formats right here, and can be streamed in full just below.