Review: Neptunian Maximalism ‘Le Sacre Du Soleil Invaincu’
Two things immediately struck me when I came across the Belgian collective Neptunian Maximalism’s 2021 record Solar Drone Ceremony. The first was the band’s lovingly extraneous name, the second was the insane Lovecraftian album art by Hervé Scott Flament called Sacrifice, although I think I would have titled it Holy Shit.
Then came the music, which combined the ominous psychedelia of Amon Düül II and similar German acts of the ‘60s and ‘70s as well as the sprawling free jazz/world music effect of Grails but with a deeply apocalyptic vibe. The record quickly became one of my favorites of that year, a menacing yet meditative exercise in introspection and sun-worship. So, I couldn’t help but jump at the chance to review yet another solar-oriented journey, this one with the French title of Le Sacre Du Soleil Invaincu (The Rite of the Unconquered Sun).
The album is broken into three chapters: At Dusk – Raag Marwa, Arcana XX – Raag Todi and At Dawn – Raag Bairagi. Ambient cymbal-like noise greets us on the opening track Alaap which is then punctuated by harsh church organ-like tones before launching into the crushing drone-doom of Vilambit Laya Alaap. The sound is huge, muscular and cavernous, befitting a not-so-gentle nocturnal segment, perhaps accompanying a procession of cloaked worshippers on a procession. Further ambience of Unison Composition and additional guitar and drums assault of Dream Chord round out the finality of At Dusk.
it is enormous, powerful and a testament to the raw musical landscape this unique collective can conjure up…
Haunting Indian-inspired melodies of Alaap On Surbahar bring us into Arcana XX – Raag Todi followed by unsubtle black metal influence of the cacophonous Drut Laya, Chaotic Polyphonic Taan Combinations. Black metal generally isn’t my bag, but I can appreciate the jarring contrast to previous moods in this arrangement (and a lack of black metal vocals helps it go down my musical gullet). MadhyalayaYama DCCLXXII brings forth that kraut rock influence Neptunian Maximalism does so well, with its deranged free jazz flourishes and sense of foreboding. Overall, this chapter of the record is much higher in its energy levels.
Earth is the band that comes to mind with the opening track of At Dawn, Vilambit Laya Alaap. The sun is lazily rising, and we can ease into a nicer psychedelic posture to some pleasing wah pedal guitar noodling. But not for long! The following track comes right back to slow stampeding doom with lead vocalist Guillaume Cazalet giving his trademark shaman’s wail across the reddening soundscape. Much of the At Dawn chapter keeps to this brand of world-ending/world-birthing audio brutality, finally broken at the end with the meditation of Layakari In Offer To The Cosmic Serpent. The ceremony is completed, and the gods are hopefully pleased.
Le Sacre Du Soleil Invaincu feels similar to its predecessors with its Indian influences and themes of cosmic invocations. Because the group’s music is so sprawling and follows a format seemingly of going where it wants to go, it can be a bit difficult for me to carefully compare or contrast it to Solar Drone Ceremony, but it is enormous, powerful and a testament to the raw musical landscape this unique collective can conjure up.
Label: I, Voidhanger Records
Band Links: Facebook | Bandcamp | Spotify | Instagram
Scribed by: Rob Walsh
