Every now and then a band comes along who completely shake the scene. Today we look at a band taking the Death Metal world by storm, but more of them in a moment. Essentially our band today are nothing new, or even that different for that matter, so why are they so adored? Well partially I think a lot of it has to do with both worship and nostalgia. The old school remember the early days of Death Metal and get a rush out of the modern OSDM scene and the younger generation love the old purist ideals for it was something they couldn’t experience back in the day.
Skeletal Remains is certainly full of both aforementioned points and their ascent to Death Metal stardom has only crept up since their inception in 2011. The band’s debut Beyond The Flesh from 2012 and second full length Condemned To Misery from 2015 saw the band garner some success. However, it was 2018’s Devouring Mortality which really hit home. I even scored it a 9/10! Anyway today we turn to the bands fourth full length The Entombment Of Chaos. Can this follow in the bands well respected footsteps? Let’s see how this Century Media release plays out.
Not many albums warrant it but this one does, an intro track that is. Cosmic Chasm sets the scene for a band whom could easily be mistaken as 90s in every sense. The Horror-esque soundscape is a haunting background for what is to come in Illusive Divinity. This opener is an atypical purist OSDM assault, the kind one has and should come to expect from Skeletal Remains. It’s speedy, aggressive and touched with killer vocals that give it the authentic old school vibe. Giving us some absolutely delectable riffs is the mighty Congregation Of Flesh, powerful and evil sounding 90s Death Metal filth, a testament to the bands ethos. Continuing this vile spew is Tombs Of Chaos which once again exhibits some excellent and classic guitar work. The drumming on this track should also be noted as especially good, one of the better songs on the record.
Adding to the ethereal, epic nature of the album is another interlude Enshrined In Agony, again I don’t mind this kind of thing with a band that has such kudos. However, it does feel a touch unnecessary. Thankfully it’s short lived and we get straight back into the fray with the frantic Dissectasy (awesome name and awesome song). This is an all-out bulldozer of a Death Metal track, really punchy and full of aggression and little hooks. Eternal Hatred is next to pique my interest, huge riffs groove and wave throughout in this mammoth and sluggish crusher, a real big hit in the record. We then come to what I would deem as the end of the album, Unfurling The Casket. This is a pretty decent all-round Death Metal track, nothing necessarily new or inventive about it, but it’s solid. There is one final track in the form of cover of Disincarnate’s Stench Of Paradise Burning, it’s very good but I don’t care for covers in the slightest.
So, there we have it The Entombment Of Chaos, but is it good? Well for me I couldn’t perhaps rate it in as high a regard as Devouring Mortality but it’s still very good. I sometimes think that the bands worship is their downfall however. By which I mean that they are so standard that they border on the generic. In fact, had it not been for the bands great songwriting they would be nothing more than your average run of the mill Death Metal act. Alas there are some pretty huge moments and if you’re into Death Metal then you won’t be disappointed. Perhaps this release is better suited to someone beginning their journey in the genre.
(8/10 George Caley)
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