Transcending Obscurity

Fathomless Ritual – Hymns for the Lesser Gods Review

Fathomless Ritual – Hymns for the Lesser Gods Review

“One develops a strange relationship with the concept of “accessibility” in this gig. Take Fathomless Ritual’s debut Hymns for the Lesser Gods. This slab of murky death metal plunges you right into the maelstrom with furious opening track “Hecatomb for an Unending Madness.” The rest of the album is full of riffs that land like an oddly shaped object dropped from a third-story window: they bounce around unpredictably, and if you’re not careful they might just hit you in the face. My point is, no one will play Hymns for the Lesser Gods as the soundtrack to a spin class. Why, then, does the phrase “like a more accessible Demilich” recur in my listening notes?” Fathomless accessibility.

Orphalis – As the Ashes Settle Review

Orphalis – As the Ashes Settle Review

Orphalis has everything a band could want–except for a bigger audience. Over the course of three prior albums, this German quintet honed their take on “brutal technical death metal” into a potent force. Their sound consists of chops and hooks served in roughly equal measure, riffs on riffs on more riffs stuffed into the sausage casing of three- to -five-minute song structures. The band flashes songwriting prowess alongside technique that never devolves into wheedly-deedly indulgence, and they coat everything with a shellac of genuine aggression.” Malice at the Phalis.

Lurk – Aegis Review

Lurk – Aegis Review

“Here I sit, in my dimly lit alcove, wearing my cherished war elephant Transcending Obscurity tee, penning another review for a Transcending Obscurity release. This one is for Finnish sludge doom band Lurk, and their upcoming mass of grime Aegis. I was rather smitten with 2016’s (2018’s if you track signed release dates) Fringe and its murky, swinging brand of sludge metal. It was oppressive while also being quite beautiful, adeptly wielding a chilling atmosphere that cut to the bone as often as it crushed bone to dust. Just how likely is it, then, that Lurk could return seven years later with another record of similar sound and equal or better quality?” Lurking in the murk.

Ashen Horde – Antimony Review

Ashen Horde – Antimony Review

“The black/death/prog polymaths of Ashen Horde are back with Antimony, their latest subgenre-surfing full-length. The new one is a concept album that explores the unsolved Victorian-era murder of one Charles Bravo. Experts agree that Bravo perished from antimony poisoning, but his story spins out from there to embrace a cornucopia of credible suspects and motivations.” Clue Town.

Leper Colony – Leper Colony Review

Leper Colony – Leper Colony Review

“Ah, the first week of a new year. A week of renewal. Of bitter resentment at work. Of new Rogga projects. Yes, the grimy foreman of the Swedish death metal factory is back with of course another new project. After releasing–by my rough Metallum count–seven full-length albums with various projects in 2022, Rogga returns this month with Leper Colony’s self-titled debut. Coincidentally, I’ll be the seventh writer to review Rogga for this here site. Might ye despair, lest Rogga sneer at your pleas that he just for once in his life slow down and make the death metal masterpiece that more than one reviewer suggested he’s capable of?” Pieces of genius.

Morbid Evils – Supernaturals Review

Morbid Evils – Supernaturals Review

“Loudness is a weapon. Many great sludge bands know that. Amplified judiciously, altered maliciously, sludge has the potential to be gargantuan, overwhelming—the thick ooze of a proper harmonized rumble can leave your innards sufficiently massaged with low-end pleasure. Morbid Evils knows this well, with previous encounters showering us with growling guitars moving at a funeral pace against a drowned-out, stoner backdrop. While changes across their previous outings arrived at a tectonic pace, Supernaturals erupts this mighty Finnish trio into a form that is far more visceral.” Are you loud and morbid?

DeathFuckingCunt – Decadent Perversity Review

DeathFuckingCunt – Decadent Perversity Review

“With a name like DeathFuckingCunt, you’d be forgiven for thinking that a well-done platter of slam was heading to your table. Surprisingly, the band is more subtle and nuanced (by death metal standards) than that. Decadent Perversity combines brutal death with technical death to form brutal-technical death metal. The difference between these guys and many contemporaries is that a delightful layer of grime lingers over their work.” Banned in the U.S.A.

Et Moriemur – Tamashii No Yama Review

Et Moriemur – Tamashii No Yama Review

“There’s an underlying majesty and mysticism emanating from the Land of the Rising Sun that causes many to flock to its call (like yours truly). Czech doom/death metal Et Moriemur also find inspiration to Japan’s alluring siren song, and on their fourth album, Tamashii No Yama (or “Mountain of Soul”), the band drew upon the country’s rich instrumentation, land, and mysticism to craft an album honoring its history and aura.” Honor or horror?

Imperialist – Zenith Review

Imperialist – Zenith Review

“Some albums hit at just the right time, and Imperialist’s debut was right on schedule. In 2018, the year I would personally call the weakest year for metal of my AMG tenure, Cipher was a commanding force of bullshit-negative black metal, and easily one of my most-listened-to records of that year despite its late release. So then… where was it on my list? Ah. Yes. Near the bottom of my honorable mentions, chucked there as an almost-afterthought.” Royal authority.

Cutterred Flesh – Sharing is Caring Review

Cutterred Flesh – Sharing is Caring Review

“Indeed, Sharing is Caring! In the spirit of sharing, allow me to share my opinion on Cutterred Flesh’s cheekily-named fifth album’s artwork. It’s brilliant, and my current favorite piece of 2021. On the surface, it follows a common aesthetic approach endemic to brutal death metal. Look closer, and notice that the subjects’ roles are flipped. The innocent, fragile hoo-mahns are the ones doing all of the flesh-tearing, stabbing and vivisecting of the big, scary monsters.” We care a lot.