German label Prophecy Productions / Lupus Lounge brings you a fascinating two track split release featuring two Black/Death/Doom Metal bands, US one man outfit Tchornobog, and from the UK, fellow one man project Abyssal.
A two track split this may be but both bands weigh in with songs of an epic length. Tchornobog kick things off with ‘The Vomiting Choir’ which opens with sickening sounds of degradation and horror before embarking on a bleak journey of unsettling guitar tones, raw growled vocals and a sporadic drumming style which oscillates between pounding old school Death Metal beats and more tactical, exploring tones. Tchornobog (Which is Ukrainian for Black God, a deity from Slavic mythology) combines the gloom and oppression of dark, Doom laden rhythm, with the foreboding evilness of Black Metal and the crushing velocity and texture of Death Metal. This is all combined in such a way as to make their offering deeply sinister as well as unrelenting in its bleak intensity!
These two bands have been matched up superbly well and I’m familiar with the work of Abyssal from a stunning three cassette box set they put out a number of years ago. The Abyssal portion of this harrowing release comes in the form of ‘Antechamber of the Wakeless Mind’ which begins with a darkly atmospheric swirling ambiance that steadily gives ground to a cloying, malevolent vitriol! This track is Abyssal at their most ferocious and menacing, moving forward like a serpent sneaking through the gloom. Monolithic, sparse drum tones are used to great effect along with visceral growls and cavernous guitar tones to create a sound almost akin to Drone Doom, though far more blackened and degraded in aura. Once Abyssal fully kicks into gear they produce a dominant, somewhat scattergun approach to Death Metal which has a highly charged, aggressive effect.
Two great bands of a very similar ilk going head to head in a brooding release of malevolent fury, bleak harmonics and foul, nightmarish atmospherics!
(8/10 Marksson)
https://www.facebook.com/Tchornobog
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