Yes, I am aware Beyond Creation has a track called “Coexistence,” but I’m sure they’re not the only ones. That’s definitely a good starting point, though. When “Metaphysical Essence” kicks in, you’ll notice the fretless bassadilla right away. You’ll also be aware of the production. While it’s not bad or out of the ordinary for tech death, it’s a little thin. The instruments are still audible, so it’s not a distraction (you can always turn up the volume). The track itself is not atypical of the technical death metal spectrum until about 3 minutes in where there’s a lead, a very Gojira-esque section, then a jazzy section, which makes me scream “That’s baby-making music, that’s what that is.” No “yazz” flute, though.

Would I spoil it now if I told you there was no “yazz” flute on the entire record? Sorry… The second track, “Symbiosis of Creation” continues the momentum from the first. This time, there’s a little more of a groove, although one could argue there’s not much difference between the two. There’s a tight, fantastic solo, as to be expected and that prevalent fretless bass is responsible for carrying the last minute or so of the track to its conclusion. I don’t know about you, but I am a big fan of the sound of the fretless bass and I think we should all come together to start a petition removing all fretted basses from existence.

To provide the bass some more room and not unlike many of their peers, Coexistence are prone to instrumental, borderline lounge music jam sessions, such as in “Eclipse” and “Revert.” The former has some extended jam sessions but is still tech death through and through. The latter, however, is basically a tale of two songs. The first half is tech death and the second is some chilled out, relaxing lounge music for those times where you’re at the casino and really pissed off, then decide to gamble away your life savings.

I wanted to mention one more track, which is the closer. “Floating in the Celestial Wave” takes a couple minutes to get going before the vocals kick in and the pedal gets stomped to the floor. I always like to mention the final track because this is frequently where bands will experiment. That’s not the case here. While it’s still a good track, there’s nothing new brought to the table.

With that in mind, I have some complaints. It’s a little long (if I had a nickel for each time I heard that, I would have ZERO nickels). It’s also formulaic at times. After continuous listens, I go back and forth between absolutely loving it and thinking it’s merely “good.” Of course, the truth lies somewhere in the middle. Transcending Obscurity records, their label, deserves a mention here. If they release an album, it’s going to be worth the time. Their roster is full of exciting, incredible, talented heavy metal bands spanning multiple sub genres. They do their merch very well, too, including multiple varieties of CDs, vinyl, and apparel. I recommend browsing their roster. While you’re there, Coexistence’s debut might be a great place to start.

Considering the distance between the two, and the fact that the music was recorded in France and the vocals in Sweden, this four-song EP is not a bad little piece of traditional melodic metal. There is a downside to this kind of recording, though, and it’s evident at times on this record. While all of the songs are well-done and well put-together, it does occasionally sound like a long-distance project. The chemistry that you get when you put a group of guys in a room together and let them jam is missing. The songs, at times, sound like a more mechanical, pieced-together work than the organic give-and-take that you get with traditional recording. That’s most pointed in the transitions on second track “Seize the Day,” which sound a bit chopped.

That said, “Carrion Comfort” is still a pretty good record. The songs are interesting and catchy. I particularly like “Twisted Soul,” even if Lindquist occasionally reaches a little too far trying to deliver dramatic vocals. The title track is probably the most solid number here, offering a balanced attack of aggressive and melodic. The final song, “Layarteb” is a high-energy number with links to bands like Savatage and Iced Earth.

Giraudo has some good chops on guitar and can definitely put together a song, and Lindquist’s voice is rock-solid, sounding like a lower-pitched combination of Matt Barlow and Tim Owens (fitting since he came from an Iced Earth cover band). I like the songs here, but I just wish they were a little warmer and more organic. Let’s get these guys together in the same room for a more extended period and see what they can come up with. That’s a record I’d definitely be interested in hearing.