A Pyrrhic Existence is the seventh studio album by the British funeral doom band Esoteric. Just like the two previous albums before it, A Pyrrhic Existence is a double album. It was released on November 8, 2019 through Season of Mist.

A Pyrrhic Existence
Studio album by
Released8 November 2019
VenueBirmingham, United Kingdom[1]
StudioPriory Recording Studios
GenreFuneral doom
Length98:15
LabelSeason of Mist
ProducerEsoteric
Esoteric chronology
Paragon of Dissonance
(2011)
A Pyrrhic Existence
(2019)
Singles from A Pyrrhic Existence
  1. "Descent"
    Released: September 4, 2019[2]
  2. "Rotting in Dereliction"
    Released: October 3, 2019[3]

A Pyrrhic Existence is Esoteric's final studio album featuring founding guitarist Gordon Bicknell, who left the band prior to its release.

Reception

edit
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Blabbermouth          [4]
Metal Injection          [5]
Metal StormPositive[6]
Rock Hard          [7]

A Pyrrhic Existence was released to positive reviews. Blabbermouth called lead single "Descent" an instant highlight, stating that when Greg Chandler's vocals "burst through the fog at the three-and-a-half-minute mark, it's like the voice of some fearsome, hateful deity resounding through thick storm clouds to the Earth below".[4] Jerome Reuter of Metal Injection notably gave the album a perfect score commenting on how Esoteric have once again set the bar high by releasing a double album with no filler. He ended his review saying "A modern Greek tragedy told in six parts, it's nothing short of a theatrical masterpiece".[5]

Accolades

edit
Publication Accolade Rank Ref.
Stereogum Best Metal Albums 2019
5

Track listing

edit
Disc one
No.TitleLength
1."Descent"27:39
2."Rotting in Dereliction"15:51
3."Antim Yatra"4:40
Total length:48:10
Disc two
No.TitleLength
1."Consuming Lies"15:16
2."Culmination"19:03
3."Sick and Tired"15:46
Total length:50:05
Total
98:15

Personnel

edit

[9]

Esoteric

edit
  • Greg Chandler – vocals, guitars
  • Gordon Bicknell – guitars
  • Jim Nolan – guitars
  • Mark Bodossian – bass
  • Joe Fletcher – drums

Miscellaneous

edit
  • Lisa Schubert – cover art

References

edit
  1. ^ Kennelty, Greg. "Funeral Doom Legends ESOTERIC Announces First New Album In Eight Years". Metal Injection. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  2. ^ Sacher, Andrew. "Esoteric Share 27+ Minute New Single "Descent"". Invisible Oranges. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  3. ^ Rosenthal, Jon. "Esoteric, Eternally "Rotting in Dereliction"". Invisible Oranges. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Esoteric - "A Pyrrhic Existence"". Blabbermouth. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  5. ^ a b Reuter, Jerome. "Album Review: ESOTERIC A Pyrrhic Existence". Metal Injection. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  6. ^ Apothecary. "Esoteric - A Pyrrhic Existence review". Metal Storm. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  7. ^ Schiffmann, Andreas. "ESOTERIC - A Pyrrhic Existence". Rock Hard. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  8. ^ Chainey, Ian. "The 10 Best Metal Albums Of 2019". Stereogum. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
  9. ^ "ESOTERIC Make New Album 'A Pyrrhic Existence' Available For Streaming In Its Entirety". Metal Forces. Retrieved 19 October 2020.
edit