Rumbles from the West. Portland Oregon’s Petrification have released their second album “Sever Sacred Light” (which for some reason I have an issue saying out loud), on Svart records. This is the follow up to “Hollow of the Void in 2018 and contains 8 tracks of Bolt Thrower/ Autopsy style punky Death Metal to shake your fists and booties to.

Petrification do not stab with rapid fire intricacy, rather their execution is more akin to a hack saw amputation (one for the DM fans). This is mid paced distorted rumbling riffs with hints at doom and crust.  

Opening with the single “Twisted Visions of Creation”, Jason Barnett’s throaty rasps follow the chunky riff descending lower and lower down until he almost disappears into the depths of the earth.  

There are hints of Doom in “Oneiric Obscurum” which follows, from its My Dying Bride style opening riff which took things in one direction before a few China hits that opened a big old crushing DM riff threatens a gnarly pit live. This song changes pace often but keeps its direction and is a highlight of the album.  

“Temporal Entrapment” is a more traditional chugathon although, again Petrification utilise tempo changes to throw light and shade into the track, though the drums sound a little busy in parts.  “Cadaverous Delirium” is a little proggy in parts and seems to lack cohesion for me stringing together various sections – some of which reminded me of Machine Head with clichéd  mini solos.  It all got a bit messy for me.  

Not so “Sepulchral Lesions” which is a gnarly slab of death thrash built on a simple but head bangingly effective riff which slows to a nice bitta dooooom.  Absolute filth! That filthy feel continues into “Seething Cosmological Dread” but this one has its head in the proggy clouds rather than buried in the dirt whilst “Transmissions of the Unseen” mixes the two with an otherworldly Eldritch feel – I got early Anathema vibes from this one plus a couple of (decent) Six Feet Under rocking Death metal riffs in there.  

“The Hourglass Dissolves” brings things to a conclusion with a thunderous Bolt Thrower style and a proper dirty groove. The overall sound and feel of this album is heavy and powerful and I enjoyed it. The 8 tracks are consistent and conjure up a dark and sludgy atmosphere which got my juices flowing. What it lacks is stand out moments that latch on and refuse to let go. I was left at the end glad that I listened to it but not immediately reaching for the play button again. Needs a little fire to break the ice.  

(6/10 Matt Mason)  

https://www.facebook.com/petrificationdm

https://petrificationdm.bandcamp.com/album/sever-sacred-light