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Band: Merciful Nuns
Album title: God Aeon
Release date: 10 April 2025
Label: Solar Lodge
Genre: Gothic Rock
Tracklist:
CD 1:
01. Kvltan (The Origin)
02. Elysene
03. Ethereal
04. Black Halo
05. Demons
06. Baal’Gor
07. Requiem For The Departed
08. Oneironauts
09. Blue Lodge
10. Down Dark Hallways
11. The Kvltanians
12. Weltunter
13. H.A.T.E.
14. The Pyramid
CD 2:
01. The Portal
02. Hypogeum
03. Body Of Light
04. Ancient Astronauts
05. Genesis Revealed
06. Exosphere
07. Blackbody
08. Ultraviolet
09. Allseeing Eye
10. Karma Inn
11. Eternal Decay
12. The Maelstorm
13. Passing Bell
14. God Aeon
Merciful Nuns achieved cult status shortly after their formation in 2010 and have since released twelve studio albums, peaking with two in a single year. Following a hiatus from 2018 to 2022 - when fans were left uncertain about the band's fate - they returned under the helm of Artaud Seth, exuding greater confidence, strength, and, dare I say, a heightened sense of dominance, boldness, and darkness. As the mastermind behind the band, Artaud has honed his ability to channel the essence of the occult, the mystical, and the otherworldly into sound. No surprise there - he cultivated this talent with the legendary Garden Of Delight, active (albeit with breaks) from 1990 to 2008. In the early 2000s, Garden Of Delight welcomed Jawa Seth, Artaud's wife, who has played bass on every Merciful Nuns release to date, while the guitarist line-up has changed a couple of times, right now this duty is held by Jacques Moch
God Aeon - named after the track from their debut album Liber (2010) - serves as a "best of" compilation, but it offers far more. Across 28 carefully selected songs, it traces the band's evolution, revealing their connections, depth, and versatility. This is no mere gothic rock retrospective - it's a gothic rock with a capital "G": unbound by trends or commercial constraints, grounded in legacy, yet visionary in its aspirations. Artaud, driven by an obsession with the occult, ancient rites, and alternate worlds, has built a mystical realm all his own. Merciful Nuns act as chroniclers of this lost world, which exists only in dreams; their songs feel like ancestral messages, echoing forgotten rituals and the pulse of the cosmos.
Rather than presenting a chronological overview, God Aeon offers a window into the artist's inner world - a codex that seeks light through shadow. The tracklist leans towards recent material, lending the collection an intriguing freshness. The first half of this double album features songs created between 2018 and the present. Highlights include the previously unreleased "Weltunter", melodic gothic gems like "Demons", the metallic "Elysene" and "Ethereal", and a new version of the haunting ballad "H.A.T.E.". These tracks, alongside monumental pieces like "Kvltan: The Origin" (Kvltan, 2022), "Requiem For The Departed" (Oneironauts, 2024), and the thunderous "The Pyramid", make this release feel essential.
The second disc explores the 2010–2017 period. Alongside semi-forgotten treasures such as "Body Of Light", "The Portal", and "Ancient Astronauts", listeners will rediscover eternal anthems like "Allseeing Eye" and "Eternal Decay". Every track has undergone fresh mixing and remastering, often unlocking new dimensions within the sound. The band's evolution - from classic gothic rock laced with psychedelia and ambient textures to a heavier, more metallic edge - remains seamless.
Merciful Nuns maintain a throughline from beginning to present, with their catalogue appearing deliberate, cohesive, and complete. It's no accident that "God Aeon" and "Oneironauts" share subtle resonances - likely by design, a philosophy that traces back to the Garden Of Delight era. Not every track lends itself to easy listening - devotees will recall how the early material sometimes embraced a psychedelic structure. Yet this unpredictability reveals the band's commitment to constant transformation. A thread of melancholy runs through it all, expressed through mournful guitar lines, layered synths, and Artaud's unmistakable voice - a croon that cuts deep, raspy yet velvety, and capable of stirring the dead.
Merciful Nuns compel us to look inward or outward in search of answers to timeless human questions. Whether guiding us through exoplanetary journeys across eerie dreamscapes or hidden passages where myth, distance, and the occult collide - or simply igniting us with gothic anthems - their work resonates. Though comparisons to The Sisters Of Mercy or Fields Of The Nephilim persist, Merciful Nuns forge their own path. What links them to those bands is not imitation but shared heritage.
God Aeon transcends any notion of a conventional compilation. It's a vital key for understanding one of the most significant gothic rock bands of our time.
Review by Tomaz
Rating: N/A
