As if it’s not hot enough already, here we have something else of a fiery nature. I can’t say I remembered Prometheus despite the fact last album ‘Resonant Echoes from Cosmos of Old’ had been covered by another on these very pages. However, this quartet deserve the name more so than the other 8 or so bands listed on Metal Archives due to being Greek and no before you ask, they are far from Emperor copyists either. Containing past and present alumni from acts such as Temple of Katharsis, Typhoeus, Kawir, Shadowcraft and Archemoron, this lot first released demo recordings back in 2007 and this is their third full-length album.
Here I find the intro piece ‘Epiclesis’ as necessary as not only does it set the mood but utilising traditional Lyre provides a real air of authenticity by its atmospheric reach. Having immediately cast the listener back in time to ancient Hellenic traditions and sounds ‘The Devouring Chasm’ helps define what to expect musically although as we shall see should not be looked upon as the style that is going to be fully adopted over the full 57-minute playing time. This is dense and cataclysmic death with a Morbid Angel rattle from the guitars and a churning heave from the drums and bass. Vocals yell and snarl dictatorially over the top and a creepy melody gleans through with some symphonic grandiosity from the keyboards. It has its moments but you wouldn’t really call it metal ov death as it is combined with a blackened swirling orthodoxy along with spoken words, giving it a contrast that has it straddling two worlds.
This journey down the river Lethe with Charon as our guide continues with a somewhat brutal backbone. The deathly cleave is malignant as are the ever-changing vocals, wails and elongated cries channelling the descent via decidedly choppy waters. ‘Mnemosyne’ briefly brings back traditionalism, this time via a snake-charming call of the Aylos before brutally battering back into death. This would go down well with fans of bands such as Nile and Melechesh as there’s a fiery melodicism about it taking the listener into a scorching desert of extremity but one should not become too settled and complacent as mood and style is about to shapeshift for the remainder of the album.
‘By Vessel Of Empiricism’ the tempo is considerably slowed and the death makes way to more atmospheric blackness with the symphonic elements subtly guiding. A spoken word part really adds to this and its easy to see why when you realise that the “chants and empirical lyrics” are provided by Acherontas V.P. Sorcerer. Some gorgeous acoustic guitar work compliments this perfectly and the mood is completely different. It works as a bridging point before the epic 2 part ‘The Alpha and the Omega Revealed’ a work of mysticism which despite a brutal start simmers right down into a meandering and solemn route on the first part which those looking for more brutal realms may find themselves somewhat lost by the less pronounced thrust of things. So too with the second part at 14 minutes length projecting a shadowy and somewhat lugubrious shroud over proceedings. This more moribund and doomier demeanour definitely requires the listener to work with it making it overall a much more challenging work that 1st anticipated.
(7/10 Pete Woods)
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