Maudits – In Situ

“In Situ crafts a soundscape where weight and lightness coexist, whispering with elegance as it draws you into a world of tension, texture, and unexpected emotional rollercoasters.“

Right, I’ll be honest. 2025 has been overwhelming with releases, and honestly I’ve been struggling to keep up. Sometimes I’ll stumble upon something incredible, but then it just kinda gets lost in the noise. But that hasn’t been the case with Maudits. They’ve stuck with me since I found them during COVID lockdown. The French quartet has been orbiting the post-metal and post-rock universe for a while now, but this record feels like a quiet assertion of identity—a statement that doesn’t shout but resonates deeply.

France has always been one of the biggest cornerstones for Post-Rock and Metal, obviously. Alcest practically invented a whole new genre with Blackgaze, BRUIT has been taking incredible strides to push the envelope in the Post-Rock sphere, and YEAR OF NO LIGHT is crafting hypnotic, trance-like fusion of Sludge and Post-Metal. Maudits have carved out their own niche despite clear kinship with their peers, operating in a space that’s less about brute force and more about atmosphere. If you’re expecting the seismic weight of Russian Circles or the apocalyptic churn of Neurosis, you’ll need to recalibrate. Their sound leans toward restraint, a kind of ambient gravity that feels cinematic without tipping into melodrama. There are echoes of Godspeed You! Black Emperor’s sprawl, Opeth’s shadowy introspection, and even the cinematic and textural sensibilities of Jóhann Jóhannsson and Massive Attack. It’s a constellation of influences that shouldn’t cohere, yet somehow does.

The opener, “Fall Over,” is a slow reveal. It doesn’t rush; it unfurls patiently, layering tones that feel heavy and ethereal in equal measure. There’s a tension in its architecture, a sense that the ground might shift at any moment. The title track follows, easing the pressure and letting acoustic guitars breathe alongside Raphaël Verguin’s cello. That interplay of strings against wood and steel sets the album’s emotional compass: a dialogue between weight and lightness, density and space.

However, the biggest surprise on In Situ comes with Maudits’ take on one of the most iconic tracks of the ’90s—Portishead’s “Roads.” It’s not just a cover; it’s a full reimagining, swapping trip-hop gloss for something darker and more emotive, almost leaning into an emo sensibility that feels unexpected yet strangely fitting. And just when you think you’ve got the album figured out, along comes “Carré d’As,” featuring Olivier Lacroix (of Erlen Meyer fame). This one throws rap, trip-hop, and even screamo into the mix—a combination that might leave their core audience scratching their heads. Honestly, it pulled me out of the album’s flow for a moment, but I can’t help admiring the sheer audacity of it. This level of experimentation, especially at such an early stage in the band’s career, is bold and unexpected. Their willingness to push boundaries deserves a round of applause.

“Precipice III” and “Lev-Ken” are where things really click for me, though. Honestly, I can’t pick a favorite between them. The former is a slow-burn epic, expanding from a melodic core into something luminous, almost transcendent.  It’s a track that exudes emotion with deliberate force, trusting its own gravity rather than rushing toward resolution.  “Lev-Ken“, by contrast, works in fragments—short, layered phrases that accumulate emotional weight until they feel tectonic. Both tracks are among the most compelling tracks of Post-Metal this year.

What really gets me about In Situ is how controlled everything feels. Maudits know exactly when to pull back and when to push, and that’s harder than it sounds. There’s genuine restraint at play here, which, honestly, you don’t see enough of in post-metal anymore. The cello is crucial to that balance; it keeps them from sounding like every other guitar-heavy band doing the rounds. And honestly, the fact that they didn’t pad this out with filler is refreshing. In Situ does what it needs to do and then quietly glides out of the way, leaving you wanting more. The production deserves its own mention: the mix is spacious yet balanced, giving every instrument room to breathe without sacrificing impact. Maudits have clearly been on an upward trajectory with their production values, refining the layering and depth with each release.

In a year absolutely packed with releases, both incredible and forgettable, Maudits have made something that actually feels essential. I genuinely can’t wait to see where they go from here. If they keep building on what In Situ establishes, they could be one of the most important torchbearers in this whole scene for the next decade.