After a split with Barghest and an astounding EP, Minneapolis black metallers False have finally unveiled their debut full length, Untitled. At this point, I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been through this album, but one thing is certain: the band have put out one of the rawest, most visceral and emotionally taxing releases so far this year. For my money, this is the bar against which all further 2015 releases will be judged.

The differences between the band’s previous EP and this full length are few as far as music quality, but this time out, we get more than double the tracks to enjoy. “Saturnalia” kicks things off immediately with a feverish start. Rachel’s vocals are just as caustic and vitriolic as in the past, with her low, putrid growl standing out in stark contrast to black metal’s more common, screeched style. In the middle of the track, the pacing slows to a doom-esque speed and light, almost post-metal tones begin to make their way through. The song’s as much an emotional journey as it is a blistering one.

Track number two, “The Deluge,” is precisely that. Walls of extremity and sound pour over you like a horrendous summer storm. The band churns out 11+ minutes at blistering speed, keeping the listener completely engaged throughout with the varying tones and serpentine guitar and drum patterns. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, a choir comes into play, beautiful enough to make your knees buckle in the blackness. It’s a complete surprise that will force you to stop and collect yourself before pressing on.

Each of the album’s five tracks spans at least nine minutes, but it all goes by rather quickly. Spin after spin, it’s the most rewarding listen I’ve heard so far this year. False have created more than just a recorded piece of work; they’ve given us a journey into black metal that just has to be heard to be believed. It’s absolutely not an album to be absorbed in just one sitting, but rather one that gets better and better with repeat listening.

False is a band—and Untitled an album—that will let you draw your own conclusions and parallels. It forces you to consume thoughtfully: to sit, spend time, and contemplate what you’re hearing on your own plane. In fact, Gilead Media head Adam Bartlett said it best on Twitter: “This band is from another level of existence.”

– Josh

Untitled will be available June 16th on Gilead Media. For more information on False, visit the band’s Metal-Archives page.