“Eventually seeming to coalesce out of the smoke itself, Départe take to the stage, and with no hesitancy, begin their set. The haunting, eerie notes of their music echo off the walls accompanied by the affecting voice of Sam Dishington, the whole ensemble exploding with waves of emotion. Départe are truly an entity that must be seen live to fully appreciate; the droning bass coupled with the dreamlike (clean and harsh) vocals force the listener to another consciousness, another plane of reality. This is especially accurate on standout track ‘Vessel’, where the monochromatic lights add to the absolute hopelessness that the band diffuses throughout the room with their music. If the show was to end there, I would still feel that I had got my $90+ worth.”

“By mid-set I was thoroughly immersed and by the end of the set, completely empowered to take on the forthcoming intensity. I have seen Départe perform a number of times and The Corner Hotel was by far the largest stage and venue at which I have seen Départe perform, and a I can see it now – it’s been there all along – this band’s profound dimensions can expand to celestial proportions.”

“Départe’s concentration on dynamics and technicality as a cohesive unit evoke as much muscular rage as it does more delicate, complex emotion, and the two faces of the Janus that is Failure, Subside are evidence of the band’s fearless obsession with progression. The future resides with those who move ahead of others who find complacency in rehashing their own ideas.”

“Despite being very minimalist in its construction it is a very intense collection of tracks that may require a few listens to fully digest. The production is razor sharp and Failure, Subside really shows the progression of Black Metal and how far it has developed as a genre.”

“The album’s pristine ice-sculpture production makes the Ulcerate comparison unavoidable, but Départe have unique charms at their disposal too. Chief among them is a real sense of direction in their songwriting. A lot of metal in this vein can feel repetitive and inert despite its complexity, but Départe songs offer memorable riffs and comprehensible narrative arcs — a lit path forward amidst all the churning darkness.”

“With its melding of grim, grey-soaked beauty, brooding atmosphere, and raging, blood-stained catharsis, there’s every chance that Failure, Subside will find itself topping a number of “Best of 2016” lists come the year’s end. And deservedly so, as it’s a true monster of an album. And an all too human monster at that.”

“At the very core of Failure, Subside lies a deep understanding of control. The band don’t have to rely heavily on repeated motif to signify song individualism like many bands within the death metal genre, nor do they make intentional efforts of writing endlessly convoluted compositions which hold little significance to anyone outside of lyrical enthusiasts. Technicality and performance are simply waves in a sea of narrative. They crash and excite, but the true magnificence comes in the understanding that for as far as the eye can see, it is just you and the blue. I think Départe should be damn proud of themselves, because they have proven with a debut to hold the maturity of bands hitting 4th and 5th releases.”

“Départe are one of the most exciting metal bands in the country right now... Dark and dissonant a la Deathspell Omega, Celeste, etc. There's no wonder these guys scored a 20+ date tour throughout Europe alongside Ulcerate and Wormed before this debut recording was even announced.”

“Recently formed Tasmanian act Départe was enlisted to set the scene and they did not disappoint. With a European assault on the horizon, Départe have in three short years crafted a formidable cache of songs. Fans of Bethlehem, Shining and Twilight would probably find Départe perfect to swing in the breeze to. Though the band cites Deafheaven as an influence, the bel canto vocals were more in line with Bergtatt-era Ulver...”

“Thus begins the performance of Départe, coming from Tasmania (Australia) to introduce their exquisite Post Metal. Frankly, it was a short half hour, but they played with intensity, emotion, strength and agony, all of which were reflected in the compositions of this quintet, which heated up the atmosphere of the room very well... Those who saw this performance would feel priveleged and will have discovered an excellent band.”

“Within the first two minutes I was salivating for more. The music immediately rattled compared to the headliner, hitting us like a dense, dissonant whirlwind, ripping me apart like an assassin. It felt like I was floating in a black, bottomless ocean. The crescendo of the intense performance hits hard from every angle with a maniacal energy. Frenetic, sinister and dark.”