A debut album from US blackened death metallers Trenchant, and not to be confused with another act with this moniker also from the USA though I believe they have changed their band name. The three tracks on their debut demo have made it onto this album, but of course have been rerecorded to fit in with the new tunes as Trenchant have an intensity and dissonance you only get within the blackened death hybrid. Not quite on a war metal footing ‘Commandocult’ is certainly close to it, its rancorous assault is not for the faint of heart or for those wanting melody in their tunes either. With some backing noise acting as an intro piece the album kicks off with the title track, its build-up acting neatly like an ignition fuse ready for the explosive velocity that ensues. The vocals have that throaty rasping tone, not quite black metal but close enough to instil that aura of terror into the songs as the album continues with ‘Burning Spires Of Mercury’. Here the band use a far more chaotic structure, skilfully measured as the song has a screaming screeching lead break.

I did like ‘Darkwater Graves’ the eerie opening setting the scene for what’s to follow, the dramatic stance is well placed as the steady build up crafts inherent intensity before it stamps on the gas. Like the rest of the songs, it is loaded with malignancy, that penetrating malice that infests via its vocals and unmitigated speed. I also really enjoyed ‘Yellow Cross Orison’, here we get no easing in, the song is out of the blocks immediately, swift blasts coupled to a decent melody, done the Trenchant way of course. Melody isn’t something that is always in the minds of this band’s song writing, preferring to assail with enraging violence, but it is there if you pay close attention.

‘Trumpets Of Jericho’ (no it is not a Bruce Dickinson cover before you think that) is the first song to appear from the demo, with an appropriate intro piece the song has a fine dramatic atmosphere as the marching like snare militarises the tune before it switches to full metal modus operandi. That blackened touch is really focused here, the blast beat flurries sit alongside the grislier aspects as my favourite tune ‘Atrocity Vision’ is up next.

‘Atrocity Vision’ again uses some snare roll to enhance the atmosphere, which I particularly like on this album, the thought into each nuance has not gone unnoticed by these wizened ears. Here the tune has similarities to Bolt Thrower, that oppressive deathly bulldozing connected to some cool riff breaks and changes. ‘Wardrivers’ was also on the demo and has been given a makeover with its relentless battering affront, as the band has opted to cover the Molested track ‘Pyre At The Tarn’ and decently done it is too before finishing the album with another redone demo tune ‘In The Fires Of Night’. At nine minutes this is a far more exploratory track, unnerving on its opening it travels through a gamut of changes, creating a horror film styling I enjoyed before the inevitable blast beat. There is an urgency here too, racing through the changes as the song’s pacing abruptly changes producing a really satisfying grating scraping riff with mid-tempo speed that seems to implode on itself, but in a good way of course.

A great debut album by Trenchant, one saturated in malevolence, teeming with nightmarish structures but most importantly nine astoundingly good tracks.

(8.5/10 Martin Harris)

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/commandoccult