Escarion's first LP, 2021's Pillars of the Faith, was very much a progressive death album. Their follow up album, Towards a Futile Existence, is something very different.
 

The guitar shredding mastery is still present and as impressive as it ever has been, but the style is harder to pin down. The single and title track is a good indication of what the rest of the album has in store. It begins with Gaia's clean vocals and keyboard led ballad, swaying with a melancholic feel, before the song launches into a heavy, progressive death metal section. Tracks like 'Memoirs of Madness' have a much more prog/melodic death thing going on, with tinges of black metal keys and vocals, while 'Pandemonium' wears its black metal influences on its long, spiky sleeves.
 

Unlike Pillars of Faith, which was immediately identifiable as Chuck Schuldiner worship (of which I heartily approve), Towards a Futile Existence is coming from many different influences. This makes it a harder listen, but an interesting one. I should really be overtly clear that the guitar magnificence you love from Escarion is still here in droves, making it lush ear candy for any metal fans who love their guitar wizardy. I'm pretty sure there are a lot of us.
 

BenPM - Nightbreed Metal Radio