Maudits – In Situ
Maudits’ “In Situ” is a cinematic journey, a post-metal odyssey that pulls from doom, progressive, ambient, and even trip-hop to craft something that feels both monumental and intimately personal. The French collective, featuring members of Throane and Ovtrenoir, has always had a knack for blending heaviness with atmosphere, but “In Situ” takes that alchemy further, refining their approach until every note feels deliberate, every silence loaded with meaning. The album’s production is a masterclass in balance: spacious enough to let each instrument breathe, yet dense enough to envelop you completely. It’s the kind of record that rewards patience, revealing new layers with each listen, whether it’s the haunting interplay of strings and echoes or the way the rhythms shift from crushing doom to something almost weightless.
What makes “In Situ” special is its fearless embrace of contrast. The album’s emotional compass is defined by the push and pull between weight and lightness, between the monolithic and the delicate. Nowhere is this more evident than in their audacious reimagining of Portishead’s “Roads,” a track that swaps the original’s trip-hop gloss for something far darker and more emotive. The inclusion of guest vocals adds a human dimension to Maudits’ typically instrumental soundscapes, grounding the album’s sprawling ambition in something tangible. These moments of vocal clarity act as anchors, pulling you deeper into the album’s world rather than disrupting its flow.
Yet, for all its strengths, “In Situ” occasionally feels like it’s holding back just a touch. The album’s pacing is deliberate, almost meditative, which works beautifully in its quieter moments but can make the heavier sections feel slightly restrained. There’s a sense that Maudits, in their pursuit of control and restraint, sometimes prioritize atmosphere over impact. “Leftovers” and “Fall Over” are masterfully composed, but they don’t always deliver the cathartic release you might expect from a band so clearly capable of it. It’s a minor critique, but one that keeps the album from reaching the transcendent heights of the very best in the genre.
Still, “In Situ” is a triumph of mood and texture, a record that understands the power of subtlety. The band’s ability to weave together disparate influences, from the crushing doom of Godspeed You! Black Emperor to the haunting melancholy of Portishead, without ever feeling forced is a testament to their skill as composers. The album’s closing songs, particularly “Lev-ken,” showcase this perfectly, blending acoustic and electric elements into a sprawling, emotionally resonant finale. It’s in these moments that Maudits prove themselves not just as skilled musicians, but as true storytellers, capable of crafting music that feels as vast as it does intimate.
In the end, “In Situ” is an album that lingers. It’s not the kind of record that demands your attention with brute force; instead, it draws you in with its quiet confidence, its willingness to explore the spaces between sound and silence. It’s a reminder that the best post-metal doesn’t just overwhelm, it leaves you changed. Maudits have created something that feels both timeless and urgently modern, a record that stands as a testament to the power of atmosphere and emotion in heavy music.
