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Post-Metal: Anomander - Cracks in Arcadia (2025)

 


72 / 100
Anomander’s debut shows clear intent and strong influences, channeling the weight of sludge/post-metal while tying it to modern struggles. Promising, but not yet fully realized.
After listening to Amerta’s debut album in Indonesia, we now come across their fresh neighbor from Malaysia: Anomander that were previously known as Prodigium with a different lineup. At first glance, the name feels tied to their relative, Dionysian, and that turns out to be true because of Trishay who also active in bands like Runtuh, Mumuksu, etc.

Although they explore a similar theme of exhaustion in modern life, Anomander’s approach stands out. Their music is divided into two parts, connected like a single strain. The transition is executed perfectly: at 03:45 of the second song, the mood shifts from barren into a more emotional realm, as if leaving the opener behind in the aftermath of a desolate utopia. Hareesh’s vocals bring a sludgy dryness that reflects the misery and anger of labor under capitalism chains.

The band cites sludge/post-metal giants like Amenra, Neurosis, Isis, Cult of Luna, Tephra, and Sumac. In my ears and as far as I know, Anomander sound closer to everything but Cult of Luna, since their music lacks the same intensity of atmospheric layering and leans instead on the raw qualities I’ve described above. As for the lyrics, I do appreciate them, but the real highlight lies in the composition of the final track that hooks the listener right from the beginning, and the middle track follows it well. But when I wanted to choose which one that fit the best for a recent Indonesian demonstration, the first song went unexpectedly! So I'll give higher score here.

[The review also posted on Metal Archives.]
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