First things first. The album title is excellent on so very many levels.

This twenty-year-old band was formed in London by the Cutispoto brothers and released their first two albums in 2005 and 2007 before going on a ten-year sabbatical. This is their third album and second release since reforming in 2017.

The very Hitchcockesque piano of intro “Void” is a gentle set up to something you know is going to be far more ominous when the curtain is pulled back.

Nick Plews commences blasting from the onset of “Heart Of Darkness”, while Giuseppe and Mick Cutispoto throw down some impressive licks on their guitars that manage to add melody to the frantic speed of the drums.

Kyle Austin employees both a throaty roar and menacing growl on “House Of The Common Enemy” where the rapid tempo and riff changes do not faze him in the slightest, and Mick’s lead works well keying off the melody of the rhythm guitars.

I’m pretty certain there are more than a few of us that share the same opinions of “Brexshit”, and the venom in Kyle’s voice is clearly apparent, as are the vicious guitar screeches between riff changes before breaking out to a rather melodic lead that stands out even more for not being as abrasive as other elements in the song.

Interlude “Transcendence” is a beautiful guitar piece highlighted by Stevie Dewar’s intricate bass playing before the waves come crashing in for “Black Ocean” which swaps speed for heaviness as the rolling drums unleash their manic fury, while the guitars maintain their sedate pace for the vocals to roar over, until near the end where everything speeds up frantically.

“Across The Sea Of Time” is the longest track on the album and because of that is able to flow through various meandering tempo and riff changes without straying too far from its key elements and producing the most exquisite lead solo before it crescendos into myriads of riffing, each more intricate than the last.

There’s a tinge of black metal rasps to go with the guttural growls on “To Thine Own Self” as the booming kick drum fills the sound, causing the guitars to end each riff with a squawk for punctuation.

The outro “Space” is filled with slow reverberating sounds that bring for a feeling of vast openness and ending it all with a LOUD thunderclap.

I must admit that I enjoyed this album far more than I thought I would.

(7/10 Marco Gaminara)

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https://corpsingmetal.bandcamp.com/album/civilisation-under-nefarious-tyrants