Mortuus Infradaemoni – Inmortuos Sum review

 

MORTUUS INFRADAEMONI is a German black metal band who formed in 2005. “Inmortuos Sum,” is their fourth full length album; they also released a demo in 2005. “Inmortuos Sum,” is definitely a dark and oh so abrasive album.  The vocals and instruments have a razor sharp edge to them, very underground and against the grain in every imaginable way.  The production is rough but not in a way that is necessarily lo fi.  In fact, I say the production and mixing lends these crazy songs a certain charm.

The album’s eight tracks cover over an hour of material—this is definitely a long album and I’ll admit that although every song is solid, the longer tracks could be shorter.  The song structures are unconventional and don’t follow any certain format.  I actually don’t mind this, for the most part, because the standard “verse-chorus-verse” does get old very quickly.  With that being said, I tend to prefer my longer songs in the doom and prog genres.  There are exceptions, as there is with anything, but as a whole I don’t need a twelve minute long black metal song.  These stretched out songs combined with the open ended format does tend to make the album kind of blur together at times.

With all that being said, this is very much a riff driven album, both for the guitars and bass.  The mixing makes the latter pop out pretty well—the bass is consistently well done and important to each of the songs. There isn’t any ambient or synth atmospheres or folk elements—this is pure black metal with a focus on destruction and pummeling rather than any deep thoughts or introspection.  And you know what?  Sometimes that is all I need.

The album opens with the intro song, “Insepultus,” which is solid for what it is.  Mostly instrumental, aside from sound bites and growls, the song ramps up the energy quickly and paves the way for “Madness Rides With The Star-Winds.” This particular track is just over twelve minutes long and I can’t help but feel the albums should have opened the first track proper with one of the shorter numbers.  But the song does well on its own, especially the heavy handed and, often times, tribal like pounding of the drums.  The main riff in the beginning is groovy but covered in blackened bleakness.  The vocals are a echo laced raspy growl and black screams but halfway through we get depressive cleans, reminding me a bit of the few cleans that OLD MAN’s CHILD have used over the years. At this point, the riffs are hammered in over and over, very hypnotic and I appreciate how they get more groovy over time

“Abhominog,” feels like the song that should have been the intro.  This one is a straight up banger—fast, focused, and to the point, The vocals in particular are disgusting—perfect for the atmosphere of the song.  The drums are energetic and compliment each part of the song with pure rage, focusing all the hate on providing a strong foundation and rhythm performance. The riffs in “Der Todten Tantz,” are insane and perfectly backed by the vocals.  The drums, which are lighting fast and nearly inhuman, push all the other elements together and drive them further.  The result is a chaotic song and is surreal in feel and very violent in approach.  From the first second to the last, it doesn’t stop—this is a unstoppable juggernaut of a song.

The title track is last and although I feel it didn’t need to be 14 minutes long, it is indeed a fitting end to the album.  The intro is long, the drums building up the action while the vocals get every closer to exploding.  There are several decent riffs throughout the song and it seems to go into hyper speed at times, as if trying to beat a race against itself but there isn’t a whole lot of variation that kept my interest the entire time.

All in all, MORTUUS INFRADAEMONI’s “Inmortuos Sum,” is one of the more uncompromising and abusive albums I’ve heard this year.  It isn’t perfect but I don’t think this type of black metal is supposed to be.

Songwriting: 7
Musicianship: 8
Memorability: 6
Production: 8

http://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/reviews/cd_3/m_2/mortuus-infradaemoni.htm

Lux Incerta - Dark Odyssey review

 

LUX INCERTA is a Gothic doom metal band from France.  They formed in 200 and “Dark Odyssey” is their second full length album.  Since 2001, they have also released four demo albums. This my first experience with the band but this first impression is, well, impressive.  “Dark Odyssey,” is indeed quite the journey with engaging songs and exceptional song writing craft.  I’m going to gush about this album because it so richly deserves it but before I do so, I want to go ahead and talk about the one fault it has: the track placement.

The album is comprised of seven tracks; five are longer songs with vocals and two others are full length, though shorter, instrumentals, “Shervine,” and “The Ritual.”  Both of these songs sound great and “Shervine” is perfectly placed on the album.  As good as the “The Ritual” is, the song doesn’t really seem like the right one to end the album.  The epic, “Far Beyond The Black Skies,” would have worked better as the final showcase for what the band can do and what the album is all about. Of course, I am just one humble reviewer so obviously song placement (and anything else I say) is purely subjective but I have reviewed hundreds and hundreds of albums so I can be very nit picky about flow and track listings.

With all that being said, there is nothing else wrong with “Dark Odyssey.” First of all, the album sounds like a dream—well, in this case a dark dream of doom.  But the sound, the production and mixing, is spot on.  Every thing is perfectly balanced: it isn’t too loud or soft in the volume area, each instrument shines without being overbearing.  No doubt, this is one of the best sounding albums I’ve heard this year in doom. The overall sound of the album is somber, melancholic, and with this being doom, slow and slumbering although there are faster parts here and there. The songs handle the speed, or lack therefore of, very well because they take their time building up to the destination but without meandering off the path and becoming distracting.  If anything, the songs are ultra focused, full embracing their style and harnessing that with a deft touch.

They handle their Gothic side as well, meaning they can and do create meaningful, emotional melodic passages by weaving them into the very fabric of the songs.  I might have a problem with the way the track list is set but the songs themselves flow so well.  It isn’t so much the detestation that always matters but the journey—-the band really grasps this concept. “Far Beyond The Black Skies,” opens the album—this song is a monster!  The first seconds are the sound of a storm accompanied by  clean keys.  It is a beautiful sort of darkness and it only grows as the music gets more and more layers.  The band comes in through waves—bass, then drums join the keyboards. Clean guitar around the three minute mark brings the whole band in together and they ride it until the 3:31 mark where the doom distortion kicks in.  The roots of the song maintain their grip and before you know it, a full fledged Gothic doom epic is at hand. The lead guitar weaves through this stormy fog, presenting its own stark beauty in the form of wonderful leads that just pop out and grasp the mind. Deep spoken word cleans make an appearance around the six minute mark and death growls quickly join in.  Both vocal styles are of high quality and equally adept at fitting the ins and outs of the song. Just after the halfway mark, the band lays down some pain with all the sadness for a crunchy romp through metallic fields.

“Dying Sun,” begins with ambient ones and a slightly speedier tempo, complete with unrelenting drums and vicious growls.  The clean vocal passages are catchy and well placed, as are the drums that compliment them.  The later half of the sun features subtle keys and clean notes, adding in a dash of ambiance to the proceedings but with deep doom tones.  The song ends in a dirge of thick guitars and growls, capping it all off nicely. “Decay and Agony,” features layered guitars weaving in equal parts heavy riffs and bits of melody here and there.  This song sounds very cold and bittersweet but it is also moving and emotionally charged, especially those growls. The middle part is one of the faster moments on the whole album and has a melodic death feel to it.  After this bruising movement, a lighter one compliments it with clean guitar and more spoken word vocals.  MY DYING BRIDE comes to mind here!  Choppy riffs cut through the gloom towards the song’s end with the clean croons gliding on top.

As “Farewell’s” title might suggest, this song is about as happy as three funerals in a day.  But the song is just as effective and engaging as anything else on the album.  The rhythm of the clean vocals is catchy and moves the song from one moment to the next.   After the halfway mark, the song brings in the fastest speeds on the album but they still retain that melodic touch. I’ve already mentioned the two instrumentals so I will skip to the song “Fallen,” which is one of my favorites on the album.  It is just really heavy and the guitar tone pares well with the cleans.  Other than the opening track, I feel this song really captures the overall style of the album.  It has a great balance between light and dark, both musically and vocally.

All in all, I am highly impressed with LUX INCERTA and their “Dark Odyssey.” Any fan of doom needs to jump on this ship and sail these dark waters—this is one journey well worth taking the time for.

Songwriting: 9
Musicianship: 9
Memorability: 9
Production: 9

http://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/reviews/cd_3/l_2/lux-incerta-dark.htm

Stratuz - Osculum Pacis review

 

STRATUZ is a doom metal band from Venezuela who formed way back in 1985.  “Osculum Pacis,” is their fourth full length album.  They have also released four demos and a split album.  They were pretty regular with their releases until they went on hiatus around 2006.  Twenty two years (!) later, they return with this latest release. Honestly, I never heard of them before receiving this promo but based on this album, I can’t imagine why anyone would find this to be a disappointing album, if you’re into doom.  As a whole, they definitely have a melodic death/doom feel but they also sound Gothic and even theatrical at times.  I found this album to have enough variety to keep interested during its eleven tracks and forty-four minute run time.   Although I like some more than others, there aren’t any bad songs on the album.

The simple titled “Intro,” brings to the front some of the theatrical elements I was speaking about earlier.  I am very picky with intros, finding most of them to be an utter waste of the world’s time.  However, this one is done right—it is exciting, climatic and bombastic.   Without really giving anything away, it got me pumped for the first full length track, “Morning Star.” The song begins with slabs of concrete heavy riffs laid bare while a choir shouts over the doomy mayhem.  Very strong and loud death growls rip through just before a blues styled guitars lays down the feels.  And all that happens within the first minute!   Then the cleans hit and the track just pulls me in the rest of the way.  Franklin’s vocals are absolutely outstanding!  Whether it is a growl or a deep, Gothic croon, this guy pours his heart and soul into the music.

The rest of the song is simple but it flows so effortlessly.  Geronimo is the only guitarist but he has a massive sound and fills up the space very well. Of course, he is backed by a strong rhythm section consisting of Leonardo on bass and Diego on drums. “Holy Grail,” replaces the death doom with Gothic doom but the band is equally adept and laying this different style down.  Clean keys and tones open up the song, very funeral and cathedral in the approach.  Frankin’s cleans really shine on this song as he rides up top the minimalist music.  The full band comes in soon, adding in a weighty melancholic atmosphere. The song picks up layers and gets darker as it goes on.  Lead guitar is sprinkled in a few places, tying the whole composition together.

“In The Name Of God,” shows off yet another side of the band with a shorter but highly effective death metal romp.  It is fast, furious and full of venom but does include room for slow, doom riffs in a couple places, and hearing the growls over them makes it all that much more effective.  Clean chanting in the background gives this song a huge SEPTICFLESH vibe, which is always a good thing. The next song is another track that is just over three minutes in length but this one has a different approach altogether. Leonardo drives the song forward with Diego complimenting in his own style, opening up the song for the riffs and mixed vocal approach which is a sterling mixture of growls and rough cleans.  The middle portion takes me back to MY DYING BRIDE, what with its melodic yet sorrowful guitars and the emotive solo.  A short but very sweet song.

“Left,” really exemplifies the overall feel and style of the album, which makes for a very well rounded song.  The subtle layer of keys only adds to the weight of the song, which is basically a doom adventure in under five minutes.  The keys change their style from subtle to more textured while the vocals give a varied appearance as well. The riffs are poured on around the three minute mark then the song busts wide open with drums hammered into the very core of the body. The final track, “Condemned,” is builds up to more theatrical chanting that plays well with the drop of the drums and thick riffs.  The vocals are extra brutal here, with a touch of echo adding to the intensity. The bass is beastly throughout the track, nearly vibrating my speakers into pieces.  The last part of the song is clean vocals, who she is I don’t know but she does a fine job, alongside death growls and raging death metal.  What an ending!

STRATUZ has really impressed me with this album and it is so amazing that bands this good are still out there to be discovered.  They definitely made me a fan and I will do my best to track down their previous releases.  It probably goes without saying but I am definitely looking forward to future albums as well…hopefully I won’t have to wait 22 years this time!  If you’re a fan of doom, you owe it to yourself to check this album out.

http://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/reviews/cd_3/s_2/stratuz-osculum.htm

Cosmic PUTRIFCATION new album review!

 

Cosmic Putrefaction

Crepuscular Dirge For The Blessed One

by Justin "Witty City" Wittenmeier at 16 May 2022, 5:35 AM

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G.G. (THE CLEARING PATH, TURRIS EBURNEA, VERTEBRA ATLANTIS) returns under his COSMIC PUTREFACTION banner with their third album, “Crepuscular Dirge For The Blessed Ones.”  I reviewed “The Horizons Towards Which Splendour Withers,” and enjoyed the hell out of it…but this one is even better.  Everything that was great about that previous album has been multiplied by a thousand.  The album is longer but nothing was added that doesn’t need to be there—G.G. truly uses every second of the album’s 42 minute run time as another puzzle piece towards the endgame of creating this space beast of an album.

The synths/keys are used even better this time around but aren’t the focus nor do they seem to ever take over too much of another instrument’s time.  Much like the other instruments, they are used as a piece of the greater whole.  Every thing pushes the album ever forward and the ambient noises fill in the space between.  The result is an album that is as brutal as any death metal album you’ll hear but also trippy, multilayered, and spacey.  Cosmic death metal, indeed.

As with the other two releases, “Crepuscular Dirge…” is an album that has so many layers and ideas jammed into the thousand  nook and crannies that you will have to give it many listens before it truly begins to sink in.  But therein lies the beauty of it:  even if needs time to give up its secrets, you will enjoy every play through.  This is just too energetic and exciting of an album to ever get bored by it!

“…Through Withered Horizons,” is an intro but, of course, G.G. actually makes it important to the album and interesting.  Ambient noises build up and end with a frightening array of screams and hard as an oak riffs.  After about two minutes, it slides right into the first full length song, “Sol’s Upheaval Debris.” The keys that layer the beginning moments hit the right spot before the groovy guitars worm their way in.  The bass and drums dig deep into the core of the album’s sound, providing a tight foundation but a hellish rhythm section too. The rapid firing riffs grab you by the brain and lock you in a trance but it is the ending synths that pull you through that void…while being relentlessly pummeled.

“Lysergic Sulfuric Waters,” is a perfect example how to make death metal that is familiar in its desire for pure carnage but alien enough to make you wonder what you are listening to, why is it so good, and why are other death metal bands behind?  The guitars might be hell bent on crushing this alien world but it is the impeccable mixing and production job that lets every piece shine yet still make a coherent listen.  The song, especially near the end, has a cinematic feel to its approach but the right focus on musicianship lends that quality a very honest, organic feel.

The title track ends the album and is one of my favorites presented.  The beginning is quiet but the clean tones speak volumes, as does the space between. With music like this, what isn’t being said is just as important as what is.  I love the nearly two minute long build up, dripping with odd tones and sounds.  The death metal riffs bring the music back to a more solid form but it too is lifted to new heights by the atmospheric void that hangs over.

All in all, COSMIC PUTREFACTION’s “Crepuscular Dirge For The Blessed One,” is going to light up the underground with this cosmic surge of quality.  Dying alone in a cold, blackened void never sounded so damn good.

Songwriting: 10
Musicianship: 10
Memorability: 10
Production: 10

http://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/reviews/cd_3/c_2/cosmic-putrefaction_3.htm

Venom Prison - Erebos review

 VENOM PRISON is an death metal band from the UK who formed in 2014. "Erebos," is their fourth full length all album. VENOM PRISON has always had other influences in their music, particularly hardcore, but "Erebos" sees the band stretching their sound a bit further, specifically with Larissa's clean vocals. Although her cleans sound good, I do feel they sound a bit out place on some songs. For example, there are moments on "Judges Of The Underworld," where she layers them with her death growls. In moments like this, the sound becomes too cluttered and distracting. However, later in the song, when the only vocals are the cleans them I find it works for the song much better.

Musically, the band still treads the waters between death metal and hardcore but without sounding deathcore at all. Their brand of punishment is becoming increasingly more comfortable introducing melodic elements, and that is certainly not a bad thin "Comfort Of Complicity" opens with melodic riffs that smoothly transition into an equally melodic guitar solo. The song is rather energetic and hard hitting but the speedy, melodic riffing makes this more in line at times with ultra intense melodic death. Again, not a bad thing at all.

There are other experimentations as well through out the album, such as the use of ambient textures. "Castigated In Steel And Concrete," uses it very well, the backing layer of synths/keys that actually makes the song more urgent. The mid portion of the song is spacey and sci-fi like but it works within the parameters of the band's sound because they are always working towards a new build up of action.

The most obvious case of experimentation is "Pain Of Oizys," which heavily showcases Larissa's cleans. In places, the music is moody and even somewhat blues oriented. The track itself is great—-its climatic nature is nothing short of astonishing. With that being said, it feels out of place in the middle of the album. This is a song that definitely has a feel of finality to it and would be better served as the last track, especially with the way it ends with a piano outro.

The album's last track, "Technologies Of Death," is a real banger though and ends the album well enough on its own. The first two and a half minutes of brutality smoothly flow into a clean section, where the bass becomes of the focus. The music returns to death metal just as smoothly but this time more melodic—this song shows how well the band is at adapting various moods and styles into their overall sound.

The last minute and a half is pulverizing, with Larissa screaming her face off over thick, hammering riffs. "Erebos" is quite the achievement. It is an album that manages to push the band's sound forward while still retaining their death metal roots.  It can be hard at times for bands to evolve but VENOM PRISON successfully embraces change.

Songwriting: 8
Musicianship: 8
Memorability: 8
Production: 8

http://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/reviews/cd_3/v_2/venom-prison-erebos.htm

AD FINEM OMNIA - No Peace No Dawn

 My latest review for Metal Temple....melodic black metal that strikes a fine balance between melody and aggression 

http://www.metal-temple.com/site/catalogues/entry/reviews/cd_3/a_2/ad-finem-omnia-no.htm?keep_session=371344662

AD FINEM OMNIA is a black metal band from Chile that formed in 2020. After releasing a demo that same year, they are now dropping their full length album "No Peace · No Dawn," onto the blackened scene. The band has crafted a well made debut album. The production is a high note—the music sounds clear but none of it sounds thin or wimpy. Better than average toilet out house production is anathema to some in the black metal scene but not me. I actually find the album's sound to be of the utmost importance to the songwriting. Why do I think this? Because the album's music walks the line between searing and melodic. This particular way of thinking needs to sound good so every little detail can stand out.

One of those details is the bass—-Ricardo Araya is absolutely fantastic. Whether he is playing a deep melody or a fast paced ripping riff, the bass shines through and through. Pablo Vera keeps the other half of the rhythm going but his most important job is providing a full, robust performance that offsets the production values by providing a menacing edge. The album opens with the pure brimstone fury of "Vultures." It is a burner but much of the riffs are melodic and even sorrowful in nature. The middle section of the song really stands out with the way the bass weaves its magic in and out from the wall of sound riffs. The up-tempo beat of the drums crash against the more languished nature of the distortion, both feeding off each other in intense waves of melodramatic  blackened atmosphere.

"SOLVE: ROUTE TO EXTINCTION," is loaded with catchy movies and very guitar driven song that is smooth and focused.  The bass guitar also provides melodies on the low end, adding its own rich, deep undercurrent to the proceedings. Ricardo's gravel searing vocals have a slight echo on them, adding just the right amount of haunting intensity. The band is just as effective when they go for a more straight forward approach, such as on "Doomed To Death," which is a nasty as hell attack. What it looses in melodic hooks it makes up for in deadly, groove laden riffs. The album holds up as the seconds tick by and the track list gets deeper.  "Of Agony and Emptiness" is about as hopeless as the song tittle would suggest. The guitars and bass retain their melodic tendencies but are more dismal and sorrowful.

The last track "The Solipsist" ends it all with a track that ignites immediately ripples outward with the explosive effort that is a constant rise. Both the rhythm and lead guitar are a potent combination,  magical dance of story telling and master class song writing. "No Peace-No Dawn," is a stunning debut album and one of my favorite black metal albums of the year so far.  Due to its nature of being melodic and abrasive, this album is going to appeal to a lot of different people.

Songwriting: 8
Musicianship: 8
Memorability: 8
Production: 8

 I will be using this to post my reviews that I do for Metal Temple and my own reviews that I do on my own.  A variety of metal genres and bands will be posted, everything from power to doom, Amorphis to Zyklon.