Relics of Humanity - Absolute Dismal Domain

Relics of Humanity is a brutal death metal band from Belarus, who formed in 2007.  Their latest album, “Absolute Dismal Domain,” is their third full-length album; they have also released three demos, a compilation, and an EP.   

Brutal death metal isn’t the most subtle form of extreme metal out there, oftentimes being so goddamn against the grain that it makes even ‘regular’ death metal seem tame by comparison.  Well, “Absolute Dismal Domain” makes even brutal death seem tame by comparison.  This is a nearly incomprehensible album that straight up eviscerates across its 9 song, 32 minute runtime.  This album gets in, gets off, and gets out.  When it comes to this style, I’m not sure what else you could ask for.  That’s a statement, not a question.

It’s not just the music that is heavy but the atmosphere too.  The production is dismal, dark, and just disgustingly morbid.  Although definitely not doom (well, maybe the last song but more on that later), it certainly has that same foreboding vibe and uncertainty the genre carries.   

Despite the unclenching brutality, there is more to this than meets the eye.  Sure, it’s heavy for the hell of it, but it is also very much riff based.  What I mean by that is, they don’t constantly have pummeling breakdowns or speed-induced passages.  There are a ton of actual riffs and the tempo is oftentimes slow to mid-paced as much as it is fast.  These slower sections help the band breathe even more undead life into their sound and it makes them about as dense as a planet. 

Across the album’s songs, I encountered technical skills, discordant chords, and, wait for it, even a sense of melody although it is rather sickening.  I think all these elements make this band standout far ahead of the pack in the genre and I’m all here for it. 

The opening song, “Omen Apollyon,” could be mistaken for an intro but really it’s just a short explosion of carnage that leaves blood all over the walls.  It’s slow and groovy—the bass is DEEP but intricate enough in places.  They fit a lot into a short amount of time while setting up the rest of the album.

The next song is the absolute banger “Summoning of Those Who Absorbed.”  The drums sound perfect, with that classic brutal death snare sound.  The riffs are steady, throwing out a grinding rhythm while the vocalist does his best to vomit while speaking (he succeeds).  I love how groovy this song (and the album itself) can be at times.  Around the halfway mark, the song sort of fades out but retains its grip on the darkness as an ominous soundscape sprawls out like a miasma of death.  I really like this and it's exciting to hear a brutal death metal get a little atmospheric.  More please!

“Paralyzing The Light II” displays the band's insane penchant for making extreme metal, also oddly catchy.  The opening riffs are very gripping, as are the ridiculously faster ones around the 40 second mark.  The bass on this song is killer, going beyond the riffs while holding down the all important low end.  After the 2:17 mark, the band injects more disturbing atmosphere into the song and the payoff is a heavy song that turns horrific.

It’s impossible to deny the power of the band when they play their songs balls out like they do in “Smoldering Of Seraphim.” Its machine gun rhythms and inhuman vocals pushes their extremity to new levels of pain but they still find time to step outside the box a little.  Around the 1:07 mark there is a brief atmospheric part before the song gets low, slow, and pulverizing. 

The final song, “Dominion,” is a curveball but a welcomed one.  It retains the album’s sordid atmosphere  but the pace is doomed to hell and back.  Brutal death doom?  I don’t know, maybe maybe not but this song is wonderful.  It’s minimalistic compared to the previous ones but just as frighteningly profane. 

Brutal death metal is one of those genres that a lot of people think that if you have heard one band you have heard them all.  I disagree and if you don’t then check out Relics of Humanity’s “Absolute Dismal Domain.”  Highly recommended!