I don’t normally get my hands on the more brutal death metal releases but this one turned up just before Xmas, got a play and then got a few more, keeping my levels of anger in balance over the festive bullshit period. This Polish band with their fourth album have done a great job in keeping things particularly in the face and ugly whilst exuding a tangible and ghastly atmosphere throughout. This is the sort of metal ov death that leaves the listener mired in filth and murk and there is nothing modern about its approach in the slightest as it sets up to batter away with the old gods of the scene firmly in its grasp. Most of the band members here have only really been involved in groups that have released demos such as S.C.U.M. and Succubus but have been active in Destroying Divinity since 2001. I have not heard their previous albums the last of which ‘Dark Future’ came out back in 2010 but I was instantly struck by the maturity and depth found within the eight anti-hymns on pressing play here.
No time for false idols or intros as ‘The Eternity Guardians’ literally blasts and batters in, guitars unravel quickly and bring about a tumultuous dark force. Vocalist Erik’s approach is low and gruff adding a beastly gravity to proceedings. A slight slow-down allows guitar work to gleam amidst the manky ungodly tumult and this definitely has a very slimy spark that salutes earlier Morbid Angel, Immolation, Incantation et al coursing through it. At a mid-paced groove it’s utterly punishing as the sound rolls over and flattens everything in its wake, no problems bowing down and head banging to it all and you have plenty of time to do so as one track segues into another without pause; this is a band who give the impression that stopping and grinding to a halt is not part of their game plan.
Track titles pretty much speak for themselves, you know exactly the sort of sound you should be getting from the likes of ‘Scent Of Death’ and ‘Empire Of Emptiness’ and they do not let us down in the slightest. It’s easy to lose yourself in the chaotic flailing guitar miasma that is flung out the crypt on the back of the ever constant low intonations from the vocals. Perhaps there is a slight lack of variation and it all becomes one big caustic mass but what’s the point of changing the rules and mood does alter when one song goes from a leaden groove into the next exhibiting itself in a massive pounding flurry of hefty drum work. Naturally being Polish the players are no slouches when it comes to either how quickly they can hit the mark or with displaying an edge of technicality to their well-honed demonic craft, everything sounds fluid and expertly played. An unexpected mournful intro does unexpectedly seep in at the midway point before ‘Suffering Redemption’ brings cataclysmic lurching riffs and a co-ordinated scything attack to the fore. Some of the scorching guitar solos here would give Trey a run for his money too. There is a slight deviation vocally on ‘Defleshed Skeleton’ with a couple of higher pitched yaps snarling away and sinking teeth in but these are pretty much the exception to the rule overall.
At just over the half hour mark this is exactly the right length for comfort and probably the reason that I have kept coming back for another dose of death. Everything here pretty much hits the mark including the cover art and booklet design, solid stuff.
(7.5/10 Pete Woods)
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