SARS - Synthetic Domination

SARS is a blackened death metal band from Poland, who formed in2018. Their latest release is “Synthetic Domination.”  This is their full-length album but they also released an EP in 2021.

With 8 songs and a runtime of 29 minutes, this album is blistering and to-the-point, wasting no time in unfurling its wings of extremity.

The production and mix really needs its praise too! It's a very modern mix, meaning it's loud (but not overly) and the instruments all have a strong kick to them. Every element is balanced against each other; nothing has to fight for my attention because it's all presented equally.

It makes for a very smooth listen, in terms of pacing. Combining that with its somewhat short runtime, and the whole album feels like a beating in real time. That's a compliment, by the way.

Musically, the album doesn't really conform to one style, tempo or approach.  Across the various elements of death and black metal, the tempo changes to fit what is needed.  Between passages of speed, there is a lot of groove among old school flourishes and slow, sweltering passages. Cinek’s guitar playing is quite varied—he does a little bit of everything and mixes it up so nothing ever has a chance of becoming stagnant. 

I like this aspect of the album because it kept me guessing without coming off as doing too much or being cluttered.  The songs are actually quite spacious, lending each one a chance to play out naturally and sound different from each other.  

The album begins with “Submission.”  Baran’s bass is insanely dense and low…just absolutely dark.  It pairs very well with the guitars so within seconds the song is fully encompassing.  The pace is slower here with chunky riffs hammering in the rhythm while vocalist Dyvan’s offers how own well-rounded performance.  This guy can do, and does, do it all: blackened screams, low girls, vicious snarls.  At many points in this song, his vocals get so abrasive that I can almost feel them scraping against the inside of my headphones. 

Surovy shows off his chops with a solid display of drumming that compliments the song while holding down the foundation, and forging a path for the bass to rip through.  The vocals are insane here, very violent.   I like the murky tones of the guitars, it adds a horrific vibe of trepidation to the song’s atmosphere.  Subtle hints of melody peak through near the end as the band reaches for the climax. 

The band isn’t just effective on the more atmospheric and groovy portion of their song, as evident by “Sinister Roar,” which is one of the most intense songs on the album.   This is very much a riff based burner, with strong rhythms and voracious drumming.  The song’s ability to go from mid paced chugs to blitzkriegs of death metal is fantastic; just when the song seems to be done killing  you, it comes back for more.

“Dissertation,” is another rager but this one uses the guitar in a clever way, to add an unique flavor to the song, maybe even a little sci-fi/alien.   It makes the whole song sound frantic, an urgency that can never be quelled.   The last minute or so is great, the slow tempo offering a culmination of the song while the brutal vocals grind it all to dust. 

The final song, “Alpha-Phthalimido Glutarimide,” is my favorite on the album.  The opening moments are quite striking with the drums highlighting the riffs at just the right moments with a deadly snare attack.  The vocals are a groove unto themselves, sliding between blackened screams and barking death growls.  The music ramps up in intensity as the seconds tick by; in the later half it comes to a head with a sudden change in tempo that marches through with pristine destruction. 

All in all, SARS’ “Synthetic Domination,” is a nice early year surprise for me in 2025.  It’s a very solid example of how to play extreme metal without sacrificing anything in the songwriting process.  This album showcases that it is possible to be underground but still write something memorable.