Engulf – The Dying Planet Weeps Review

New year, new sponge, same gig. What a better way to kick off 2024 than with some brutal, slightly proggy, slightly technical death metal! How serendipitous it was, then, that Engulf finally dropped their debut LP The Dying Planet Weeps upon my eager lap. Complete with very nice artwork and a remarkably rich and warm production, The Dying Planet Weeps aims to make a mockery of my scoring average as early in the year as it possibly can. Read on to find out if it does indeed embarrass me with all of its brutalizing riches.

Metallum suggests that Engulf’s closest relative is Morbid Angel. Given what I’ve heard so far of both acts, I see the resemblance. However, the first companions that come to mind for me are Atrae Bilis, Eximperitus, Hath, a touch of Gorguts, and a twist of Asphyx. With such heavy hitters as compatriots, two things become clear. Firstly, Engulf set themselves up with gargantuan shoes to fill, risking it all to make a name for themselves next to far more established bands with high pedigree. Secondly, The Dying Planet Weeps will undoubtedly appeal to almost anyone who likes death metal. Raunchy, slithering, and unnervingly catchy, mastermind and multi-instrumentalist Hal Microutsicos’ riffs and multifaceted rhythms cut deep and lodge themselves inside the brain like a botfly. While those riffs gestate in my cranium, Hal’s retching roars and rasps, highly reminiscent of Martin Van Drunen’s style of explusion, create a delightfully decipherable treatise on environmental devastation. At a tight and muscular thirty-six minutes, The Dying Planet Weeps practically begs for repeat spins. Meanwhile, the songwriting’s unstoppable momentum ensures that the album needn’t have begged, for repeat spins are inevitable.

With “Withered Suns Collapse,” Engulf do something rarified in metal: integrate any and all atmospheric introductions into the opener proper. Thankfully, this one is short and effective, leading you to a blistering, bouncy riff vaguely reminiscent of Abysmal Torment‘s “The Misanthrope.” A great way to kick a record into gear, indeed, but the song evolves further. By introducing harmonized variations of the song’s main theme, Hal proves himself a versatile songwriter who understands the critical importance of layering and detailing in this kind of music. This strategy carries over into follow-up tracks “Bellows of the Aether,” “The Nefarious Hive,” and the Atrae Bilis-writes-for-Hath closer proper “Earthbore.” However, Hal’s skill as a songwriter and performer reaches its peak in album highlights “Ominous Grandeur” and “Lunar Scourge.” These two songs, coming it at the record’s midpoint, match the regal grandeur of Eximperitus and pair it with Hath’s ferocious melodicism. At the same time, there’s a certain measure of introspection and a subtle sadness to these songs that add interesting and affecting dynamics to the experience, allowing the record to leave a lasting mark after it comes to a close.

How the album comes to a close, interestingly, unveils its first and most confusing misfire. Why Engulf decided to separate the closing title track as its own instrumental is beyond me, as the piece is so seamlessly tied to its companion “Earthbore” musically that I’ve never once registered when the shift in track listing occurs. It’s a nonsensical decision that adds nothing of substance to the record. Aside from that bizarre, albeit small, choice, The Dying Planet Weeps truly only suffers when compared to its influences. No bad songs exist here, but some of the less compelling tracks like “The Nefarious Hive” and “Plagued Oblivion” aren’t particularly memorable, and even the stronger pieces lack distinction from their influences. There are too many riffs, patterns, and songwriting pathways in here that sound derivative of older works by longer-lived bands (note the way “The Nefarious Hive” follows almost the exact blueprint used in several tracks on Atrae Bilis’s Apexapien). In those sections, I lose myself to fond memories of other acts’ material instead of fully investing my time and energy embedded within Engulf’s.

Nonetheless, Hal has much to be proud of in The Dying Planet Weeps. As a debut, the professionalism with which it is produced, performed, and written is nothing short of admirable. However, Hal still needs to find his own voice to better inform his undeniable talent. Once he finds that unique voice, Engulf could very quickly become a standout in a field of already excellent death metal creators. Good luck, Hal!

Rating: Good!
DR: 9 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Everlasting Spew Records
Websites: engulfdm.bandcamp.com | facebook.com/engulfdm
Releases Worldwide: January 12th, 2024