Wormfood is best known as metal anarchists, satirizing French society with frenzied melodrama. Their albums rest comfortably between Voltaire's "Candide" and Mr. Bungle's _Disco Volante_. Wormfood's previous record _France_ was a frantic carnival ride through aristocratic perversions and social ills. _Posthume_ is the bands follow-up, marking a distinct style shift. Instead of the circus-like orgy heard on previous records, the zany highs and galloping lows are reeled back for a more focused record to sit in the shadows sulking. _Posthume_'s embrace of gothic metal is decadent, humorous and above all else, bizarre.

The fog riddled world of gothic metal is full of hellish creatures and shady characters dressed in capes. Much like its literary counterpart, gothic metal only works as much as the audience gives it credit. To reach a full gothic fantasy, one must exude patience and high suspension of disbelief. It is a world of powdered wigs, proper dress and family mausoleums at dusk. Wormfood thrives in this world -- bounding from rooftops while cackling manically in the night. The stories of _Posthume_ unfold in French narration and more French crooning. If you find French pleasing to the ear, you may be in luck. If you dislike the French language or find it strange when any words are enunciated theatrically, then you may be in the wrong place.

Guest starring on _Posthume_ is Type O Negative's Paul Bento on a variety of instruments. As if going for the medal for weirdness, Wormfood attempts to incorporate Indian stringed instruments as to find the conceptual bridge between "Interview With the Vampire" and the Bhagavad Gita. It is something that no one asked for, but when forced to try -- it is oddly fitting. What follows the opening track is an uneven mix of delicate genius and heavy handed madness. The record shines at times (the oddly tender "Salope") as well as plunging to frightening lows (cover of Stephan Eicher's "Des Hauts Des Bas"). For better of worse, Wormfood has crafted a surprising, eyebrow raising record.

_Posthume_ must be given a lot of leeway, slack and patience. A listener will know within three minutes whether or not the next 40 will be wasted or well spent. Despite my praise for this album, the name of the band still haunts my mind. Why not just use "Wormwood" or the French translation? Why is there two other American death metal bands with the same name? Why is it so popular? What am I missing here?