Spoken between the collective unbewusst and the unknown realm(s) beyond death the dialogue pursued at the heart of this second full-length album from Catalonian atmospheric death metal trio JADE intends access to a profound lucid dreaming state in order to divine the deeper mysteries of life and death. In pursuit of transcendental ken ‘Mysteries of a Flowery Dream‘ focuses on developing its own ominous yet richly melodic sonic language, a surreal tongue which better achieves their commune with the psychopomp that’d direct our way through the nine-stage process of releasing the soul from the body. A brilliantly composed slow-rolling tide built upon ripples of doomed, blackened and impassioned storm-calling psychedelia here we find these sorcerers of guitar-driven atmosphere reaching for a more direct-shot melodious charge, tasking themselves with a uniquely blustering tonal experience which rings in hundred-layered whorl yet still manages their goal of transcendental connectivity.

Jade formed more officially circa 2018 after a period of development via vocalist/bassist J. (Foscor) who’d sought creative control, a vision of his own in collaboration with drummer D. and guitarist A. (Vidres a la Sang, White Stones). The intent was a complete, well-considered package that’d arrive fully formed as possible and this’d meant these accomplished veterans were entirely prepared with an intoxicatingly mused demo which’d eventually been issued as an 12″ EP (‘Smoking Mirror‘, 2018), sporting an atmospherically charged and darkly triumphal vision of death metal I’d praised upon its official issue. The core idea was there and it’d be fair to suggest that the blueprint of forms was largely set in motion at that point having been better realized and expanded in ouevre on their debut LP (‘The Pacification of Death‘, 2022). From my point of view it was another breakthrough, a brilliant achievement as a debut and an outward-thinking vision of death and doom that’d hit #32 on my Top 100 Albums of that year. In parsing the band’s fusion of forms I’d referenced everything from Bolt Thrower to Bølzer to (earlier) Katatonia and beyond yet their sound stood out to me as a contemporary voice in high-expressive death metal territory, making a quick fan of me which’d leading to some wild anticipation for album number two.

The short of it this time around is that the signature of Jade persists yet evolves, continuing to expand to suit the level of expression intended. As they incorporate a broader set of guitar techniques and forms, ideas which move beyond death and doom metal rupture, we find guitar melodies restating themselves as one of the major features in their work throughout ‘Mysteries of a Flowery Dream‘. Zooming into the minutiae and taking a closer listen to past releases should reveal a well preserved sound and magick, a declarative and triumphal darkness soldiering on, while applying some necessary torsion within sound design. The whirring layers of guitars, some extremely peripheral synths, and trampling pace generate a cloudier, at-times blackened depth upon first impression. I would suggest that the original meaning of “dark metal” via the early 90’s romanticism from Sweden and the U.K. (and beyond) is suitable partial descriptor here on some level, though this sound is not gothic rock infused. Continued use of soaring heavy rock leads and increased focus on cleaner declarative vocals creates an ominous but not-so cryptic feel which is necessary to reach melodic highs and the desired atmospheric depth in tandem.

Between opener “The Star’s Shelter” and “Lights Blood” a dramatic reveal is struck as the lyrics suggest dream divination, access to the subconscious can bring meditative solace or even guidance from beyond. Naturally the music arrives as a cosmic storm of unique guitar tones, perhaps the most striking thing about this album is the use of guitar sounds which are distinct and resonant without relying on too much studio reverb. As an opener “The Star’s Shelter” introduces a tentative, exploratory sensation on the walk-in, letting their ruddy rhythm tones judder alongside crystalline arpeggiation. The tension of the song escalates to a peak where the leads begin to wail along but this is very much an introduction, a first immersive step which signals intent before they’ve battered into the readied-up and howling trade-off of “Light’s Blood”. The mood and the flow of the full listen is compounded there not only for the sake of the rhythmic gusting of their movements but the ongoing motif, or, related set of statements via the lead guitar work.

Fans of ‘Pacification of Death‘ will likely note the growled vocals sit somewhat lower in the mix and the rhythm guitar tones are less centrally located, signaling less of an ‘old school’ death metal face up front but the trade-off here is a sound that is decidedly surreal, a vortex in its own right as it arrives. Likewise if you were looking for the melodic death/doom inspired gravitas found on the band’s split with Sanctuarium (‘The Sempiternal Wound‘, 2024) it turns out that was a different direction than was intended for this album. That said I’d felt the centerpiece of the full listen, “Shores of Otherness“, carries a similarly connective reach. Though I don’t know if I’d consider ‘Mysteries of a Flowery Dream‘ a “riff album” the percussive mid-range scratched tone of the rhythm guitars pull me back to my first experiences with albums like ‘Gothic‘ (via Paradise Lost) where the rhythmic thread parlayed provided texture and incidental harmonic value to an immersed listen.

The first phase of the full listen concludes within instrumental piece “The Stars Shelter (II)”, a reprise of the motif that’d granted access to Side A and a moment which recalls the loftiest peaks from records by Sweven and Dream Unending in recent memory where a sleepier dramatism builds to its apex but doesn’t rush to its resolve, languishing in its bridging of two halves. The second half of ‘Mysteries of a Flowery Dream‘ carries on with the momentum set by the first in developing something a bit different with “9th Episode”, an album that builds up toward a sort of rocking ‘The Formulas of Death‘ type trampling step offset by leads which to me recall something like Mercyful Fate at times, a hard rock inspired roll through their tensed and declarative style of death metal. It isn’t the most vital song on the full listen but it does offer some variety on the way through rather than iterating on the exact same structural forms.

“Darkness in Movement” is an obviate standout and not in the sense that it is separate from the rest of ‘Mysteries of a Flowery Dream‘ but rather that it is the moment of bliss and the tonal peaking of Jade‘s greater journey through this album. Throughout the course of the full listen the elements that define its gait accumulate and now release on this dramatic piece, it’s lead hook being one of the sharpest and most memorable on the album’s run. This actually bleeds directly into the variation of the guitar melody that drives the quasi-title track (“A Flowery Dream”) as the conversation continues to see through their efforts toward the bliss of the lucid dream resultant. On my first pass through the full listen I’d not fully noted the synths which underpin a few key songs on the album yet the closing moments highlighted it enough that I’d gone back, cranked the album twice as loud and sought after those smaller details. Beyond simply enjoying Jade‘s sound and its growl-and-shouted dynamic the unfettered flow of it all, the continuity of ideas throughout the whole deal, was transfixing in every case and this’d been a great point to return to on repeated listens, capturing the entire thought.

The melodious fixation of ‘Mysteries of a Flowery Dream‘ ultimately reads as conviction, a record which moves with purpose without building anything too overwrought or grotesque beyond the pleasure of listening. There is some strong emotional divination set behind these works which balances well with Jade‘s ambitiously scaled feats of composition otherwise, making for a fully engaged and dramatic death metal experience. Though their sound is changed and the whole of the record feels like a sluice to start it manages to provide just enough respite for the surreal impact of the whole gig to land with their own familiar eccentricity. A very high recommendation.

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