France’s post-apocalyptic metal As We Draw comes back with their sophomore album entitled Mirages. In short: it’s awesome!

Their first album, “Lines Breaking Circles”, really sold me on the band. Their sound was pretty unique and the music was in good part driven by the bass – which is really my soft spot. Mirages is the logical evolution of As We Draw: crafting longer songs (the title track clocks in at more than 10 minutes), and bringing more complexity in their music; in song structures as much as in their playing. They’ve really outdone themselves.

The whole album is moody, atmospheric, as one should expect coming from a post-metal band. However, the strength with which their music conveys the emotions, the atmosphere, is exceptional. They really know how to build songs. On top of that, the singer’s voice really sounds broken, which adds to it all. For a quick comparison, I’d compare the band to Norway’s “No Omega”, even though they are a tad more extreme than As We Draw.

I’ve been waiting for quite some time for a new album from them, and I’m really not disappointed; in fact, I’m thrilled by how good this record is!

You can buy it on their label’s bandcamp, or download it for free here.