Februus, a Swedish death metal band named after the Etruscan god of the underworld, has released its latest album, 'Construction of Conflict'. The album is a follow-up to their previous record, 'Surveillance Orgy', which was a whirlwind of dizzying riffs, bellowing, indecipherable vocals, and proggy tangents. The band's unique blend of Artificial Brain-esque zaniness with the raw aggression of Exhumed made an impact, and 'Surveillance Orgy' was a favorite record of 2024.
In this review, the author discusses the band's latest album, 'Construction of Conflict'. They praise the album's dense instrumentation and challenging vocals, which make for a rewarding, bewildering, and time-consuming listen. The author notes that the album's composition is divisive and defies logic, as it is simultaneously wonderful mood music that also deserves undivided attention. The album's haunting tones and thick atmosphere create a death metal trance, and the author praises the band's ability to create memorable riffs and alluring chunks of atmosphere.
However, the author also notes that the album's biggest issue is the sheer number of ideas in every track. While the production and guitar tone keep things consistent-sounding, a few throughline riffs would do much to give the listener anchors in the storm that is Februus. The author suggests that the band focus on creating some earworms and mixing up tracks conceptually.
Overall, the album is an acquired taste, and what you pull from Februus will vary from listener to listener. The author concludes that if you don't mind not understanding a single word out of Andreas Karlsson's mouth and take the time to let the abstruse songs whisk you away to a truly alien land, 'Construction of Conflict' can be frequently astounding. The band pulls much inspiration from the ills of modern society, and the album delivers on that idea.
Rating: Very Good
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: 320 kb/s mp3
Label: Transcending Obscurity Records (https://tometal.com/)
Websites: Bandcamp (https://februusdm.bandcamp.com/album/construction-of-conflict) | Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/Februusband/)
Releases Worldwide: September 4th, 2026
