I don’t think I’ve ever listened to an album on the Iron Bonehead roster I didn’t enjoy as each of this French bands previous releases, a demo, EP and split, all on the same label, sees an escalation in sheer barbarity coupled to fine riffs and a sense of ghoulish melody. Their debut full length strengthens the bands place in the death metal style but injects hints of a subtle old school blackness.
After a short intro, which epitomises how death metal starts, eerie and backed by weird noises the album begins with the sinister riff of ‘Veneficial Upheaval’ which allows a steady build-up ready for the expected speed explosion, which whilst not blasted is still formidable. My reference to a blackened quality appears via the vitriolic vocals which have a slight echo that intensifies the morbidity of the album generally.
‘Of Wolves And Ghosts’ has a cracking riff to open it, as the drum work exemplifies the power by using well placed cymbal smashes with the riff break which I am always a sucker for. The power is profound here, especially with the double kick infusion as parts of this album reminded me of their compatriots Necrowretch. ‘Clavicula Salomonis’ has a cool start, using those cymbals again before quickly into crusty deathliness broken by the copious riff breaks that allow the speed to smoothly amplify.
This album is stacked with fantastic riffs as more arrive via ‘Summoned And Defiled’, the gnarly style is interspersed with deluging tempo changes and some excellent drum work that has an organic feel. Again, the song uses riff changes and tempo deviations to accentuate its power as the gruesome vocals enhance the tracks malevolence, especially when it abruptly switches to a double kick infestation that increases the density, right before it plunges into a creepy slower phase. With an interlude, ‘Subterranean Deathspell’, of equal creepiness following, the album has a fine doublet of songs to conclude it beginning with ‘Aghori’s Ashes Of The Dead’. The riffs are hurled out continually, each possessing their own viciousness but importantly they’re so damn catchy too as this relatively shorter track is punchy and immersed in grisliness.
The album ends with the longer ‘As Light Goes Astray’, a seven-minute tune capturing the essence of filth riddled death metal but refining it with continual riff changes and interwoven hooks. The use of double bass really ramps up the power, but what really grabs your attention is the semi-clean vocal insertion with its theatrical edging as it leads into a slower phase that has doom metal stamped all over it. The huge quotient of causticity before the song slows down to leave a simple drum beat and droning bass backing is supremely executed.
Venefixion continue their warpath with a fine debut album, exuding everything you desire about of old school death metal.
(8.5/10 Martin Harris)
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