Willowtip went on a bit of a tear last year with the likes of Patristic, Unmerciful, Ominous Ruin, Dessiderium, Ulcerate, Defeated Sanity, and Dormant Ordeal, one of my top albums of the year. They have followed it up with a decent 2026 with Sallow Moth, Eximperitus, but it hasn’t quite been on the same level (sorry, the new Submasq is a letdown personally).
But two releases will sure make the year much better: the 2nd effort from symphonic black metalers Hyperion (it’s fantastic), and this, the 4th album, first on a label, for the Long Island progressive/melodic death metal act Iapetus (a Titan in Greek mythology and the third-largest moon of Saturn).
Consisting of Matthew Cerami (Vocals, Guitars, Bass, Arrangements) and Jordan Navarro (Guitars, Keys, Drum Arrangements). They are aided by a host of guests and session folks, namely Brody Taylor Smith on drums and Eluveitie‘s Fabienne Erni providing a large heaping of gorgeous female vocals.
A concept album, The Mother Void, is sublime. I’m reminded of Kardashev’s Alunea from last year, as it’s an utterly brilliant and enthralling album of ambitious, progressive, melodic, emotional metal that covers the spectrum of extreme metal, so, like Kardashev, fans of Black Crown Initiate, Dessiderium, Opeth, Annihilus Mundi, Ne Obliviscaris (whose Benjamin Baret lends a solo on “TON”), Rivers of Nihil, etc., take heed.
Cerami lacks Mark Garrett’s range, but Erni provides the clean, gorgeous contrast to Cerami’s harsh shouts and screams beautifully, elevating every song (I knew from the moment the intro “Patruition” delivered a Gladiator/walking through fields of wheat type moment; I was hooked).
But it’s musically where Iapetus shines. If the title track doesn’t blow you away at the album’s onset, go back to eating crayons. It’s utterly magnificent with every note, chord progression, bridge, transition, and vocal interchange delivered absolutely perfectly, with a knee-wilting climax.
Now, at 70 minutes and 4 of the 7 songs clocking in well over 10 minutes, get some good headphones and strap in for a lengthy but enthralling, lavish journey. But it’s soooo worth it: the 17-minute “Aniara” sees Erni making black metal blast beats simply gorgeous, and the transitions at 12:39 and 14:39 are stunning too. The 12 Minute “Red Giant” leans hard into galloping melodic death metal, but is drenched in gorgeous female vocals and then has a wondrously somber last act.
The album’s 18-minute centerpiece, “TON”, is almost an album in itself. From its epic opening blast beat and growl, its extended narrative extending mid-section, subsequent Gojira-like stomps and Erni’s dramatic appearance to its expected, epic climax, it’s simply perfect, and I’d buy it if it were a 1-song EP. Erni and Cerami make the acoustic closer “The World Be Undone” a perfect, somber end note for the story’s conclusion
The Jens Bogren mix is lush and clear, as you’d expect, making every note dance and slice with an airy but hefty clarity, as an album this ambitious and layered should sound.
It’s going to take a lot to unseat Fires In the Distance‘s Circadian Promise as my AOTY, but fuck, this (and the new Annihilus Mundi) is going to make it close.
