It’s kinda fitting that this shall be my last review for the year. Granted the name of the band has naught to do with the current time of year or that there appears to be a blight of sense around here currently, but I digress. This French outfit have been active for 5 years, but only recently changed their name before releasing this album after the joining of American vocalist Jechael.

The album opens with “Pale Child (Intro)”, which is subtle sounds that build to give a moody oppressive atmosphere before a low guttural roar takes us into “My Embrace” where Nattewølf and Enteronecrophile’s slow and choppy guitars march along to Splathammer’s steady drumming until the leads kick in and the drums start sprinting.

While ultimately death metal, “Destruction Inevitable” also seems to have some touches of doom and even some power metal sensibilities in the guitar breakdowns, before returning to blasting the drums.

At first “Misery for Martyrdom” seems like it’s going be heading down a hardcore route, but then the deep growls and intense drumming force the guitars to get heavier to maintain the strength of the song, but leads still have a little lightness to them that cause them to stand out even more.

The heavy guitars play a slightly slower riff than the drum tempo alludes to on “Inverted Ascension”, as the drawn out Bolt Throweresque roars are punctuated by Ullerkens’s bass notes.

Starting off really slow and acoustic, “Severed From Your Soul” maintains the pace while increasing the intensity with heavy guitars and vocals over the pounding drums, all the while a melodic second guitar follows along.

A rumble of bass joined by the short and choppy riffs on “When He Wakes” are exaggerated by the sharp way the vocals are spat out in bursts littered with brief guitar breaks and squawks.

While it may start with a mellow groove, “Grave Hatred” wastes no time getting up to speed with vicious drum rolls and raspy vocals.

“Scorched Atrocity” is pure ferocity with blasted drums and blistering guitar riffs that include what are almost black metal sounding guitars towards the end.

The opening leads on “They Will Listen to the Dead” were played by Ralph Santolla, before his untimely demise last June, the song then blasts right in as the leads fade out to go from being one of the slowest to the fastest songs on the album.

Ullerkens’s mellow bass interludes, with whispered vocals on “To Have Bled the Price” are a complete contrast to the manic fury being spat out for the rest of the song.

The final track is a slow atmospheric piece rather aptly entitled “Visions of Desolation (Outro)” before the rather raucous bonus Carcass cover track “Black Star” actually ends the album. Its lead is played by ex-Benighted’s Olivier Gabriel, but it’s the rather good impersonation of Jeff Walker that I’m more impressed by, as by this point I’ve come to expect the rest of the band’s music prowess.

(7/10  Marco Gaminara)

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https://blightmass.bandcamp.com/album/severed-from-your-soul