Something of a mini supergroup, this Spanish project hails from Catalonia with members in multiple other local acts such as Foscor and Dawn ov Hate proving their experience already. This is obvious from the first actual listens to (the oddly-titled) Mysteries of a Flowery Dream, the band's second full-length since forming around 2018, as this is pretty unique stuff; death metal as a base but with a strangely atmospheric focus, building and falling across intro The Stars' Shelter before exploding into chaotic battery on first track proper Light's Blood. And it's a fascinating clash of styles, the vocals especially which range between sinister whispers, growls, and clean bellowing all ringing out atop the morass. The guitars (courtesy of Albert Martí Còdol) will be another early focus, progressive in effect as they form walls of melodic, almost textural noise that reverberate and hold your attention whilst your subconscious notes the lower, deeper chugs and churns.

It's something akin to a cross between Bölzer and Ulcerate at points, the epic cleans, galloping speeds, and near psychedelic depths plunged reminiscent of multiple groups but mainly serving as something entirely unique and fresh. Generally, the band are more than happy to serve grandiose and stirring melodies which stray far beyond death metal boundaries to the points of post-rock or prog, holding the listener captivated throughout. Shores of Otherness is a perfect example of this with its lengthy, eight-minute-plus running time seeming much shorter thanks to the compelling way the melodies are weaved, stretching to and grasping at melodic doom territory in a way that will please, say, fans of early Paradise Lost or even Moonspell. The Ruins of Beverast seems to be a touchstone for fans of this band, too, and you can hear why, particularly in the German act's most recent works - Jade similarly profess a mystical, doom-laden atmosphere even in quieter moments that hearkens to von Meilenwald's authorship, particularly on the lead-guitar-driven melancholia of interlude The Stars Shelter (II).

Typically however, Jade walk their own path and do so well, the almost spaghetti western vibes to the melodies of the relentlessly pounding 9th Episode just one example. The production here and elsewhere is something of a wonder in itself, seeming murky at first and overly-highlighting the guitars, yet given a little time and full concentration it's actually very well done indeed, allowing even the rhythm section room to operate without impeding the other instruments and giving revelations of, say, the extremely expertly-infused keyboard lines here and there only on repeat listens. Even from the first exposure, however, the likes of Darkness in Movement impress and obsess with that lead guitar riff dominating proceedings, whilst the closing A Flowery Dream takes steps towards blackened territory as it intensifies and even throws some post-metal influence in with a spot of Neurosis to the riffing. A very easy recommendation to those who like their death metal to be transcendental, Jade should be much bigger and better-known than they are.