I really don’t know much about this Finnish quartet, other than this is their second album and while it only contains 5 songs, it’s over half an hour of crushingly heavy and slow death metal. Formed in 2008 they released their first album in 2013 to follow an EP in 2011 and a demo in 2009.
The opening 10 minute opus is the really slow and broody “Arrow of Entropy”, complete with hiss and crackles to mimic those heard on a vinyl record. Somehow it also makes the sound a bit warmer, as there’s never complete silence even when all the instruments are stilled before Otso Ukkonen’s slow and steady drum beat is elevated by fast footwork tapping a tattoo for Antti Kotiranta to follow with both his bass and ultra-low and guttural vocals. Ville Snicker and Jukka Aho’s down tuned guitars buzz readily through their riffs with some harmonious tremolo picking for added nuances.
“The Withering Titan” is as slow as it’s heavy, but for some reason the cymbal work has a light touch that makes it sound a little less ominous than if it were just blast beats, of which there are still plenty.
The vocals on “Remnants of Expansion” are just drawl out growls making the song an instrumental with a pretty guitar melody overlaid on the main riff.
For some reason “Entrailed to the Breaking Wheel” reminds me of the Septic Flesh debut with its slow long growls over hyper fast drumming and bass work while the guitars drag out their languid riffs to keep the feel of the song a lot slower than it actually is.
“Transfixed” on the other hand has everything being played at a far more frenetic pace giving it an illusion of anger which is most likely not at all misplaced.
While far from breaking any new ground, the execution is precise and delivered with enough angry ferocity that it should be appreciated for that fact alone.
(7/10 Marco Gaminara)
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