The extreme metal genre is pretty well saturated, and all too often a new release can leave you with the feeling of having heard it all before. Somehow, that makes it all the more satisfying when you come across a gem amongst the detritus.
One such moment of enlightenment came with South Carolina’s Enthean who have been honing their progressive black metal since 2012, culminating in this, their debut full length ‘Priests of Annihilation’. The most striking element on first listen is the diversity of styles incorporated into their sound from symphonic black to progressive metal, with elements of death and thrash bubbling away under the surface. At times I found myself referencing Morbid Angel, at others Fleshgod Apocalypse and many others beside. This variation in style ensures that the listener’s attention is not allowed to drift.
While incorporating so many different styles can often be messy, on this album it works well – The styles flow seamlessly and the diversity adds to the overall dynamic aural experience.
The musicianship on offer here is of the highest order – precision bludgeoning set against a backdrop of symphonic melodies, and is far beyond what might be expected from a first offering. Enthean are definitely worth keeping a close eye on…..
(8/10 Andy Pountney)
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