A second album from this Danish outfit follows their excellent debut ‘Hope Lies Dormant’ released in 2017. It appears that there has been some rearranging in personnel since this album and a new skin beater (Danni Jelsgaard) has been added to the fold replacing the departed Claus Bebe in 2020. Also Kelvin Dam has taken over on bass duties during 2020 as well due to Jacob Haugaard also departing the ranks. Whilst these Danes are distinctly old school death metal overall they’re not afraid to add a little atmosphere to the odd track, something that was manifest on ‘Hope Lies Dormant’ with backing choral like vocals, cleaner vocal soundbites and that general aura of just being that little bit different.

Their sophomore has seen them switch to this Danish label which has built up a very good reputation for releasing top notch death metal, you’ve only to look at the Stass, Thorium and Repulsive Vision albums to know that. I must also admit I was very curious about this album’s title, as I couldn’t quite envisage what it is the band is trying to tell us until the promo information explains that conceptually it is linked to religion and the surrounding “misinformation and disbelief”, as the info states. Whilst conceptually this is a well ploughed field the band has substantially enhanced the aggression of the songs which can be attributed not only to the actual songs themselves but the far more acerbic production.

With a brief intro ‘Under The Blood Red Moon’ smashes into you with its gravelly abrasive riffing style set against a huge rhythm section that underpins the album. With deluges of groove the opener typifies what this band is about, as ‘Obliteration Exceptional’ follows the opener with a short sample introduction, something the band seems to favour on some of their songs. The much slower grisly pacing is hugely dense, enveloping the listener with its blanketing bass right before the fine riff change and escalation in speed. It is these variations in tempo that make Shadowspawn’s songs so addictive, each one has its own stylistic catchiness you can hook into.

‘In The Light Of Darkness’ has that atmospheric charging I mentioned earlier, created via the guitar hook that weaves through the opening phase before the adjustment in pace. What I really I did like about this album is the vocal style, possessing a deep guttural clarity every song feels like your listening to Bue Torin Jensen spew forth his veritable diatribe in your ears as though he’s stood there right next to you. ‘Return To Ashes’ continues the formidable opacity this album displays with a much slower approach and again a fine guitar melody entwined around the grisly backing riff that it enshrouds. I especially loved the increase in pace, ensuring their deathly groove is neatly carved into the cranium.

The title track sees the album lift up in tone slightly due to another of those guitar hooks being added before the track plunges into a darkened crevasse of deathly sludge. Again those vocals really penetrate the song as it switches again for a slower sequence. ‘Dark Dawn Take Me’ has very cool riff to open it, before the escalation in speed which I must add is not blasted, preferring that neck jarring tempo you can give those weakened neck muscles, after the lack of gigs, some well-deserved exercise if so choosing. Laced with some backing atmospherics that come close to symphonics but very lightly done the song stands out fairly uniquely overall.

Closing this excellent release is ‘Bite The Pain’ where another awesome riff slashes out and whilst I expected a velocity surge it didn’t materialise, at first, keeping you on tenterhooks momentarily before the explosion to create possibly the fastest tune on the release. Here the vocals take on a futuristic slant with a slightly spoken section that berates the listener into thinking you’re going to die and take your last breath. The piercing lead break is one that you latch onto with ease but it must add that each track here has its own solos that have considerable depth instead of some warp speed widdle for the sake of it.

There are plenty of acts I could reference that Shadowspawn have similarities to as anyone into Hypocrisy, Gorefest due to the groove of course, Asphyx for the penetrating heaviness and Carcass for the melodic guitar work will certainly get a hit out of this groove saturated beast.

(8.5/10 Martin Harris)

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https://emanzipation.bandcamp.com/album/the-biology-of-disbelief