Fractal Universe ‘Rhizomes of Insanity’ Released 19th April

Fractal Universe’s sophomore full-length hits as hard intellectually as it does sonically, affirming the French quartet’s place on the progressive death metal map. “‘Rhizomes of Insanity’ is a concept album based on a thought experiment around the concept of insanity,” asserts vocalist/guitarist Vince Wilquin. “It questions the origins of it, and tries to define where we set its boundaries with ‘reason’. It eventually questions its place in our modern society and surmises that it has turned into an intrinsic, unavoidable but also necessary part of it and of every human being, which we’re trying to repress at all costs.” From start to finish, the album is an immersive, complex yet wholly accessible collection rich in melody, invention, and packed with decimating riffs – wielding ten tracks, all of which hit their mark.

Oneiric Realisations 3:58
Flashes of Potentialities 4:53
Rising Oblivion 4:25
A Reality to Foreclose 5:13
Masterpiece’s Parallelism 4:18
Parabola of Silence 5:05
Madness’ Arabesques 4:46
Architectural Aberrations 3:42
Fundamental Dividing Principle 5:02
Chiasmus of the Damned 5:44
Collective Engram – Unplugged (Bonus Track) 4:30

Drums for the record were lain down at Ghost City Recordings, in Röttenbach, Germany with Nikita Kamprad, while guitars, bass and vocals were recorded in the members’ respective home studios, and like its predecessor, it was mixed and mastered by Flavien Morel, who intimately understands what Fractal Universe are all about. Seven days of drum tracking allowed a lot of time to really focus on getting the best sounds from the instrument and, given the immense amount of preparation and pre-production involved in the process, everything else was captured easily, with all of the experimentation behind them and the sessions lacking in drama. Guitarist Hugo Florimond’s father Jean-Marc contributed some saxophone parts, providing some layers and a solo on “Fundamental Dividing Principle”, further expanding the scope of the record. “I really like how the production turned out. We managed to keep the sound very organic, natural and warm sounding, and it accurately reflects all the subtleties and dynamics of the compositions,” says Wilquin.

With a headline French tour scheduled for April followed by a European run later in the year, plus the intent to play as many festivals as possible this summer, metal fans can expect to hear a lot more from Fractal Universe in 2019 and beyond. “Since the beginning of the band, we’ve always given ourselves a 100% to offer our fans the best possible music and memorable live performances. With ‘Rhizomes of Insanity’ and our forthcoming collaboration with Metal Blade Records, I believe we now have the perfect cards in hand to bring Fractal Universe to the next level.”