The most interesting releases of the week!
Angerot‘s fourth album was released on Redefining Darkness Records. The band has been playing high quality death metal for a few years now, and I thoroughly enjoyed their second and third LPs. Their gimmick for this go-around was inviting a new guest drummer on every track and then letting that drummer entirely write their own part. While nothing on Seofon gets too freaky, this approach does result in some different flavors than the band’s past.
It helps that high-quality guitarwork and sludge-twisted vocals form the core of Angerot‘s sound. Despite the rotating cast, Seofon does still sound cohesive, heavy, and consistent. While the production on the drums could have been more consistent throughout, I otherwise have few complaints. Angerot have a history of solid albums at this point, and they deserve more attention than they get.
Spiral Crypts, released on Everlasting Spew, is Disembodiment‘s debut full-length album. The music matches the cover quite well. Disembodiment spew out rancid death doom with a focus on chunkiness and tone, landing somewhere between the realms of Demilich and Undergang. While Disembodiment revels in low-fi gunkiness, they keep their orchestration straightforward enough to not get too lost in the mud.
Disembodiment use repeated stops to reset their sound (listen to the beginning of “Stygian Overture” for an example), allowing the listener to take a fraction of a moment to re-assess before plunging back into the cacophony. Disembodiment also use plenty of solo passages (listen to…well, the very next passage of “Stygian Overture” for an example) to let distortion and filth fully reign without creating something that was just an uninteresting mess. Beyond all of that, the band writes entertaining riffs, the vocals are satisfying, the bass is powerful, and the drums offer more variety than I’d usually expect from this style of death/doom. A lot to like.
Simulacre was released on Me Saco Un Ojo / Rotted Life Records. Décryptal‘s debut, this release shows plenty of thought and polish. It also shows a ton of love for early Tomb Mold. Not much to say on this one. Straightforward death metal with no frills or surprises. Just solid riffs and excellent atmosphere.
Impureza is a lot. Alcázares was released on Season of Mist and contains a blend of tech death and flamenco. And this is something approaching a true blend, not just tech death with flavoring of something else. The music is excessive, the tracks feel longer than they are, and you will be exhausted by the end of a listen. However, I came away from Alcázares satisfied. Impureza‘s performances are across the board impressive. There’s enough here to blow you away immediately while also returning repeatedly for new meat to dig your teeth into.
Released on Iron Bonehead, Everlasting Wisdom of the Ancients is black metal for people who have sunk quite deep into the genre. This isn’t the most raw, low-fi, nasty profane mess that you’ve ever heard, but it’s something of a distant cousin. Sigorspéd can write frustratingly catchy melodies, and follow them up with genuinely satisfying grooves, all wrapped up within the framework of intentional subversion of those traits that makes black metal tick. Everlasting Wisdowm of the Ancients also manages to maintain interest through continuously shifting songwriting, never settling into a single riff for too long.
Hesitating Lights is Floating‘s second full-length release, given to us by Transcending Obscurity Records. They call themselves a blend of death metal and post-punk. The result sounds like someone threw Joy Division, Deafheaven, and Cannibal Corpse into a blender together, so I guess it makes sense. Hesitating Lights contains a pleasant and unique atmosphere. More traditional death metal fans may find themselves repelled by some of the aesthetics of this record, but I found it quite alluring. It did make me want to drop everything I was doing and go want to listen to The Queen Is Dead immediately, but after that the record remained on my mind and I found myself returning to Floating.
