The last breath of the ashes lent the wind offer unforgettable reek amidst the stillness afforded by death, a stench which hangs in the air well beyond the horrifying screams of the incinerated as Arrasate-Mondragón, Basque Country-based sextet NUMEN depict dark religious and opportunistic violence in the age of inquisition on this exceptional fifth full-length album. Precisely measured between second wave stoked violence and their own taste for bounding and ranting exploration ‘Erre‘ is cut from a familiar cloth known to their name as it supplies a best-yet version of their volatility beyond pagan/folken inception. The obviate appeal of their long-held dynamic rally speaks for itself as this material offers a rare strike at guitar driven, or, riff-driven black metal muse which entertains for its embrace of fundaments into force which is well beyond the usual salad-tossed ideation.

Numen formed circa 1997 by way of an eclectic group of folks known for mostly death metal related bands at the time. Their first few official releases approximated Scandinavian pagan/folk metal primarily inspired by the second wave notably bringing unique movement concerned with Basque folk music traditions. They’d probably made their most notable contributions to that sound and style per their debut LP (‘Galdutako itxaropenaren eresia‘, 2001) which was somewhat ahead of its time in their area compared to the popularity Basque black/folk metal found around ~2010 by way of Ilbeltz, Aiumeen Basoa and a few others. If you are a fan of Norwegian and Swedish pagan black metal the band’s first two EPs and full-length still hold up pretty well yet the folken edge of their craft has since receded for the sake of slinging riff-after-riff.

The most essential work of transformation within the band’s discography is ‘Basoaren Semeak‘ (2004) where they’d taken on more of an earlier Belenos type sound where songs like “Guda baten erdian” could be viewed as a first clear step into the riff-oriented attack we find on ‘Erre‘. From that Aeternus-esque growling force to the ‘Nemesis Divina‘ feeling slashing of ‘Numen‘ (2007) it was clear that Numen had turned a page beyond their first album and their folk/black metal trompe would evolve into a sublimely rhythmic assault. Why the twelve year gap beyond that second album? In interviews it seems the membership had cross priorities and maintaining that many different folks (six members on average) was part of the challenge.

My introduction to Numen came via their “comeback” release ‘Iluntasuna besarkatu nuen betiko‘ (2019) where I’d described their work as further removed from folk/black in the context of their greater stylistic progression within the 2000’s. Suggesting their “Franco-Nordic late 90’s semi-melodic black metal” approach was not exactly straightforward but razor-cut, melodic and classic in essence. Most of my praise was heaped onto the brilliant “Lautada izoztuetan”, an extended melodic black metal piece with an Immortal-esque opening salvo kicking up its momentum. This offers a direct enough prompt for what to expect from ‘Erre‘ as a similarly impressive, tightly written black metal experience with some folken ebb included.

Six years later much of what’d made the Numen‘s return in 2019 impressive is reinforced and expanded within ‘Erre‘, an aggressive melodic black metal record which yet resembles the characteristic strike introduced to their sound as far back as 2004. They’ve not abandoned their black/folk metal side of course but the ratio is yet similar to their three previous albums including some classical guitar, traditional vocalizations and such laced within the edges of its five pieces. This second wave informed thread of riff pursued is themed with historicity, a seeming lamentation of the seventeenth century witch trials performed in Basque country per the tail end of the Spanish Inquisition in their area. While I am no historian and cannot effectively translate Euskara the language of black metal is expressed clear enough herein that the mood and flow of their work should not be lost upon the seasoned ear.

The nine and a half minute sky-torn, bassline gilded streak of opener “Kez beteriko zeru penatua” would be the piece that’d convinced me to take a closer listen to ‘Erre‘ not only for the broad arc of its extended run but for the attack it’d afforded the material, pacing which just narrowly avoids the proggy feeling of riff salad per its bounding dynamic. Though I’d emphasize Numen‘s handle upon a few different schools of the black metal riff the opener is likewise well orchestrated via tempered keys (re: ~5:45 minute mark) and given to folken exodus within its outro. While it doesn’t reveal the entire breadth of ‘Erre‘ the opener does offer a representative spread as to what sort of pacing and movement to expect from the full listen.

While the opener offers the weight and momentum of Side A I’d appreciated the quickly daggered grooves and hymnal rise of “Negu itxian Urtarril hotza” where a mean sort of Norwegian black metal pulse begins to overtake, bleeding into “Errautsen azken arnasa” afterwards. This type of movement had always been a feature of Numen‘s work and is less surprising than it is appreciably refined, simple enough in statement but spiraling in its own dementia nonetheless. What we find on this album, and the last for that matter, is the band’s melodic side huddling up closer in relation to those malevolent grooves, making for tumultuous, ranting pieces which I’d found entertaining on repeat. Side B opener “Hustasuna – Oroitzapen galdu” is arguably the height of this, the full guts of that whole dynamic in similar form as the opener, folken nightside outro included.

Most all of ‘Erre‘ flows together, droning along within similar tonality per its trading of threshing diabolic rally and slower-tapped relief to the point where the first four or so pieces generally feel as one related narrative. Where this seems to break apart for effect comes with the grand finale of “Euria infernuko sutan” the most brutally struck and abrasive of the five songs included as they throttle into its first several minutes. Raising some hell equal to or greater than the album’s opener to close a record is rare enough, I’d found it just as important in stoking repeated listens of the full experience without appearing overtly samey as the three songs that’d come before it.

Though I’m not sure Numen‘ve arrived upon the most original statement of the year here within album number five they have one-upped the already impressive streak of guitar-driven black metal records under belt with ‘Erre‘. Whether you’ve been a fan since the early 2000’s or only just discovered them back in 2019 this latest effort should impress for its familiar but sharply cut, riff-ranting thread and its more neatly contained statement. I’d wanted a bit more of their stirring melodic side this time around but that’d been a fair trade for a more concise and aggressive sitting overall. A high recommendation.

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