Latter Days Exploits: Within Consumed | A Journey Through The Experimental
(2025 – The Charon Collective/Nordic Mission)
Generally speaking, people aren’t used to the idea that extreme metal has to be fast, brutal, and musically violent, with no melodies at all. Of course, there are several exceptions to the rule, and Latter Days Exploits could certainly fall into this category: extreme, dense melodies that push the boundaries of guttural vocals and dark atmospheres, in a kind of experimentation that showcases a great deal of creativity and a certain originality in the composition and structure of each song.
Latter Days Exploits is a one-man project—something that seems to be becoming increasingly common and widespread these days. In this case, it’s Aaron Wilmot, an American, who is responsible for everything you hear on “Within Consumed”, a solo project in which he naturally plays all the instruments and handles the vocals (in addition to a few guest appearances), in an interesting studio work that, in a way, explores different sounds and textures, all within a rather dark atmosphere.
Experimentation is Aaron Wilmot’s “leitmotif” with Latter Days Exploits, but not just any kind of experimentation. The sound is rooted in what we might call Dark Ambient, with elements borrowed from what could be described as industrial metal, along with all the extreme trappings one can imagine. It’s a project interesting enough to warrant more than just a listen.
“Within Consumed” was originally released as an EP with just five songs, only to be reissued in 2025 by “The Charon Collective,” which added the tracks from the EP “Grief,” resulting in what is essentially a full-length album with eight tracks.
So, to start with, the first thing we hear is “Within Consumed,” just as it was originally released, beginning with a particularly interesting and striking cover. “Hallelujah,” Leonard Cohen’s famous song, is presented here in a dark, ultra-slow-tempo version that sets the tone for Latter Days Exploits’ musical journey. The guttural, dark, introspective vocals over atmospheric and experimental backings are what stand out the most, and in that same vein, we note “Paenitentia,” a melancholic and contemplative way of introducing us to the atmosphere of Latter Days Exploits, with a certain gothic tendency in the style of Saviour Machine but with the decay of Doom Death Metal, and sprinkled with various interplay between different sounds and sonic experimentation—which is the key to everything in Latter Days Exploits.
“Under The Sun” turns the volume down as low as possible, yet features occasional bursts of death metal with industrial touches that blend with the strange, dark atmosphere the song takes us through; however, it is within this calm and experimental framework that Latter Days Exploits builds its sound, with the various nuances in the vocals—generally rotten, guttural, and quite distinctive—giving it a unique feel, just as in “Within Consumed,” the title track of this album, which ultimately turns out to be the track where Latter Day Exploits delves deepest into exploration and plays with different sound textures and time signatures.
“Worship” isn’t just the final track of this section of the album. It’s a sort of unusual anthem where doom death metal intersects with gothic elements through chords and tonalities that defy the ordinary—something that ultimately runs through the entire album from start to finish.
What follows next, as we’ve already mentioned, is none other than the EP “Grief,” included as a bonus track, and so we encounter “Be Still,” very much in the vein of the previous track but with much greater emphasis on heaviness, low frequencies, and darkness, blending different atmospheres and vocals.
“Discourse” is a track that continues along this confusing, strange path, where the dark atmosphere plays its part. The atmospheric orchestration in the background blends seamlessly with the dense, doom-influenced foundations, along with elements of dark ambient and gothic music, almost serving as a summary of what Latter Day Exploits is all about.
Finally, “Through” is the last track on the EP “Grief,” and by extension, on the album. If it didn’t have all the sonic and experimental elements that Latter Day Exploits adds, we could say it’s a simple ballad, but Aaron Wilmot gives it a complete twist with those mechanized sounds and heart-wrenching vocals, which, together with the gloomy background atmosphere, lend the song a distinct, special feel.
Latter Day Exploits’ music isn’t for everyone, and it certainly doesn’t fit into any particular genre. In fact, we can hear elements reminiscent of various styles, all wrapped in an inescapably dark and thoroughly ambient atmosphere, with unconventional textures, chords, and harmonies. In short, it’s a thoroughly experimental and almost one-of-a-kind work. Could the famous AI have been used in the Latter Day Exploits material? Maybe, but maybe not. We’re almost certain that the studio is experimenting with different sounds, and perhaps even with drum programming and synthesizers, but the use of technology doesn’t in and of itself imply that AI is being used for vocal processing and instrumentation. As always, it’s a topic of debate, and material like Latter Day Exploits’ is bound to spark that kind of discussion.
Speaking of the sound, it’s not something that stands out all that much, but there’s some interesting work in terms of mixing and overall production, highlighting that both the original EP “Within Consumed” and “Grief” have been mastered, achieving a sonic unity that both works share.
The artwork is a standout. The cover of “Within Consumed” takes the cake, with that sort of open heart and impeccable illustration. It’s very graphic, descriptive, and packed with details. Still, don’t expect too much from the physical release, which simply includes the cover art and the acknowledgments. That’s all there is to it, but we shouldn’t forget that this is, as in most cases, an independent, self-released project. So the modesty isn’t a problem—it’s perfectly fine.
The fact that “Within Consumed” is somewhat strange and experimental doesn’t detract from it; rather, it invites you to dive into the waters that Latter Day Exploits pours out so we can navigate a totally different, bizarre atmosphere—one that even the craziest minds might enjoy.
Here’s Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah,” covered by Latter Day Exploits, and of course the project’s social media links, so you can follow them closely and stay up to date on their latest news…
https://www.facebook.com/latterdayexploits
https://www.instagram.com/latterdayexploits
