Poland’s Soul Carrion is two piece outfit hailing from Warsaw and since forming in 2019 have released a full length titled ‘Infernal Agony’ and a self-titled EP which I reviewed for the site in 2023. Nearly one year later and the band unveils their sophomore full length that continues in a similar vein to that laid down on the EP. Added to that the two piece has retained the services of drummer Darek Młody along with Vesper Locust and Mateusz Sibila who add their considerable vocal skills to the songs on the album.

Opener ‘Cage Of Nothingness’ has a slow pervading intro sequence, packed with dense riffing and a sort of doom-death foundation before the awesome riff break and cymbal smash signals the songs detonation into blast realms. I really like the vocals on this album, they have that disembowelling grisly tone that makes the songs even darker and more oppressive as the song offers a degree of catchiness that you detect primarily because of the riffing. With added double bass blasting the opener is an absolute beast of a tune and leads into the equally barbaric ‘Night Ceremony’. With no weaning in the song explodes with a mountainous riff and screaming lead work alongside the unmitigated speed rampage that avalanches from the song.

Yet another awesome riff adorns the opening to the title track as the incessant speed seems to show no easing up. In my previous review of the band’s EP I made references to Vomitory as a reference point which is still true to some degree but these latest songs are denser in some respects and had me thinking about gnarly death metal bands such as Ignivomous and Cruciamentum but also Incantation and to some degree Immolation. The title track is insanely fast, yet intrinsically catchy too in a perverted bombarding sense as I loved the way the intensity just washed over me whilst listening to it. Ingraining the occasional eerie guitar hook only adds to the inherent palpable ominousness the album possesses.

‘Oblivion’ is a short cavernous tune of two minutes of explosive destructive energy that only relents briefly about half way for an eerie hook and dip in the velocity to unfurl a doom-death segment before reaffirming the deathly onslaught in the last 30 seconds or so. That doom-death I mentioned continues into ‘Revenge Is Mine’ where a creepy slowness infects its opening, producing an atmospheric touch that eventually yields for the unparalleled onslaught of blasting mayhem. At times there is a controlled chaotic structuring due to the inexorable speed but like all the other tracks the band switches the tempos around using a variety of riffs and hooks to create really inventive songs.

The closing couplet of the album begins with ‘Deathoskullum’ as again the band uses a slower opening to lay the groundwork for the impending barbarity that follows, which duly arrives via drum fills and a slow dread filled double bass salvo. Concluding the release is ‘World Of Putridity’ which leaves you in no doubt as to the pulverising intent these Poles have in writing and recording death metal of the highest order. The closer still offers swingeing tempo deviations and as the double kick sends the tune into cavernous realms again the vocal tone ingrains that grisly aura to devastating effect.

An excellent second album from Soul Carrion, one that teems with old school deathly density and obliterating nihilism.

(8.5/10 Martin Harris)

https://godzovwarproductions.bandcamp.com/album/enthrone-death