Phrenelith - Ashen Womb

Phrenelith is a death metal band from Denmark, who formed in 2013.  Their latest album, “Ashen Womb,” is their third full-length album; they have also released six demos, two EPs, two splits, and a compilation.

Although I didn’t review it, their previous full-length, “Chimaera,” was an excellent album so I’ve been looking forward to this new adventure in death metal supremacy.  What I’ve always liked about this band, and what “Ashen Womb,” continues, is how sulphuric and hellish they sound.  Yes, it’s brutal, bludgeoning, and any number of other adjectives I could throw its way in terms of its sonic density but that’s not all they have to offer.  

I have found this album to be quite atmospheric.  By that I, of course, don’t mean keys, clean passage, or clean vocal lines.  Much like Immolation’s “Harnessing Ruin,” this album generate its dismal landscape by doing nothing more than playing death fucking metal.  But across the entire album there is a thin line of grim hopelessness that makes it sounds truly despotic. 

The band drenches their notes, particularly the guitar tone, in these murky waters on the opening instrumental song “Noemata.”  It’s just under two minutes in length but it perfectly sets up the rest of the album—and reveals how well it flows even though it’s hard to believe music like this could ever be such a smooth listen.

The appeal of the music is that within this decaying world, exists a dynamic sound that reveals itself as the album marches ever forward.  “Astral Larvae,” is slightly dissonant to my ears–not really enough to place it firmly into that style and that style only but definitely enough to twist my brain just enough.  The band has a lot in their arsenal but chooses to use it as needed, without being trapped into their own sound.  

In many ways, even though it can be claustrophobic,  “Ashen Womb” is open enough in its own way to get out of its own way and let the music take a natural course.  “Lithopaedion,” embraces big riffs that sound a little doom-ish.  But the very striking drums don’t let it get too muddled or languished—this song has a purpose and moves towards it consistently.  

I like how the album isn’t afraid to embrace what its idea of melody is–twisted and profane.  The beginning of “Stagnated Blood,” might seem slightly melodic if only because other moments in the song are inconceivable in their ferocity.  The vocals really drive this one—deep, throaty, with the right amount of echo—for this style, they are perfect. About a minute and a half in, a ton of groove is injected but it’s more like free flowing fire than something that is inspiring to be catchy.  The lead guitar near the end is interesting, a contrasting brush stroke against this tapestry of scorn.

The album has what could vaguely be called a respite in the following song, “Sphageion,” which arrives from and travels to the next song very well. But even this short instrumental is unnerving. 

The final song is the title track and the best is saved for last.  A rising inferno opens the song before some of the best riffs on the album break out.  The tone here is decadent and pure evil.  Of course, the atmospheric leads that arrive afterwards take the song to a whole new level.  By the time the minute and a half mark is passed, it has already fully enthralled me.  The vocals rip through the music, which has a blackened feel.  This extra layer of extremity is welcomed and this is one of the more intense and uncompromising death metal songs I’ve heard in the last month.  Many of the riffs are catchy but they are all in service of another hellish passage that eats up my psyche as it burns through.  

Phrenelith’s “Ashen Womb,” is a powerful album that reminds us that death metal should be heavy but it should also be disturbing and uncomfortable.  Those elements are just as important in the pantheon of metal’s extremity and it’s wonderful to hear an album that embraces all the genre has to offer while still having a sound all their own.