The recent history of Egyptian blackened death metallers Crescent is a tad convoluted as their original founder and drummer Amr Mokhtar departed the ranks alongside long standing bassist Moanis Salem, the former being replaced by Julian Dietrich who recorded the drums for this latest third album. The bass spot being filled Stefan Dietz who wasn’t involved in the album itself as this was completed by André Meyrink of Chaos Invocation.

There is always something unique about bands that hail from the Middle East their distinctive way of writing songs coupled to their rich cultural heritage always adds a flavour you just don’t get elsewhere as the band capitalises on the foundations laid down on their previous excellent two albums to release a storming third full length. We have all felt it, that prickling sensation you get when you listen to an album you know and feel is something special that goes beyond your expectations into realms of stupefying and breath taking brilliance which is exactly what we have here.

From the moment ‘The Fires Of Akhet’ opens this release you are thrust into the world of Crescent their seemingly endless ability to inundate you with teeming riffs, brutal melodies set against their inimitable sonic cultural backdrop which you hear via those riffs and structures. With a sense for the dramatic and atmospheric the opener is bombastic and bludgeoning with gradations in power that run through it and the album generally. Smashing in is ‘Moot Set Waas’ where the embittered obsidian vocal prowess enhances the songs battering power.

‘Serpent Of Avaris’ cohesively links in too, its beastly approach belies its seven-minute duration which flashes by due to the constantly changing dynamics and broad strokes of ferocity. Equally monstrous is ‘Neb-Pehti-Ra’ with its rampant dense intensity sending the song into guttural dominions but tempered by their unique riffing stature which really hooks into you. There will be Nile comparisons for sure but if ever there was a band that had this style of mythologised death metal down pat its Crescent as the colossal ‘Drowned In Theban Blood’ demonstrates. The tuneful opening guitar melody is steeped in atmosphere but enshrouded in a brutalising veil.

The short interlude ‘Crimson Descension’ leads smoothly into the albums closer ‘As Nu Enshrines Death’ where a slower more purposeful riffing style is adopted. Saturated in emotion the vocals add considerable harsh abrasive weight as the song builds sequentially ready for the expected blasted sections that whilst brief and sporadic amplify the intensity as the slower aspects had me thinking about Greek act Septicflesh from their very earlier doom death offerings.

Tagged on the end of the CD version of this release will be three bonus tracks beginning with a new version of ‘Dreamland’ that was originally titled ‘Edgar Allen Poe’s Dreamland’ from the same titled demo released in 1999. The newer version is of course richer, denser and more opulent capturing the bands blackened death style instead of the early raw black metal the band favoured when they first formed. Covers of Dissection’s ‘Xeper-I-Set’ and Bolt Thrower’s ‘…For Victory’ have also been added showcasing the bands influences with both versions honouring the originals in pristine form but adding a penchant of their own styling for good measure.

Massively grandiose and impressively eloquent Crescent’s third opus is monumental from start to finish.

(9/10 Martin Harris)

https://www.facebook.com/Crescentband

https://listenable-records.bandcamp.com/album/carving-the-fires-of-akhet