Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, this is 4/5 of Swedish tech death legends Spawn of Possession, reborn: Guitarists Jonas Bryssling and Christian Muenzner, vocalist Dennis Röndum and bassist Erlend Caspersen. And they welcome into the fold, the new dude, Odius Mortem drummer KC Howard. I loved Spawn of Possession and felt their final album, Incurso, in 2012 was their finest recording.

Psalmus Mortis is 8 songs in 42 minutes and “Obscure Exordium” opens the album as a jazzy, proggy tech death metal instrumental.  It’s actually really well done and at under 2 minutes is the perfect burner to lead off with.  The instrumentation is stupid killer.

“Vanished” erupts right as the instrumental is ending.  Furious and fast, this album is like the successor of Incurso.  In terms of ferocity and production.  Some monster blasting, getting into gravity blast, ala Origin, territory.  High-velocity guitar harmonies alongside the ruthless blasting, are bludgeoning.  Plucky bass guitar notes all over the place with stop-and-start riff patterns…Unsure what else to say except Spawn of…I mean Retromorphosis and this debut Psalmus Mortis are incredible.

“Never to Awake” has incredible quick opening drum patterns before blasting right into hyperspeed.  This is fast and ferocious tech death metal.  Sure they may get a bit noodly, but first and foremost, this is brutal!!!  Check out the guitar harmonies at the 1.06 -they are beautiful, alongside Dennis’ signature ultra bellows.  The song slows down then blasts, then slows back down, with some keyboard action to create an excellent atmospheric element.  There are many elements of other expected influences such as Necrophagist and Obscura.  The bass guitar here within is some of the best plucky patterns I have heard on a tech death metal album in quite some time.  The rhythm section is on fire on this.  I would expect that since the majority of the band has played together for some time in the Spawn of Possession days.  The song ends in a dreamlike sequence and that is great – I needed to catch my breath.

“The Tree” is up next and starts off slower, so I am like, this is excellent, then BOOM!!!!!!!!!! Right into the manic blast beats.  Ferocious vocals and some dual-layered vocals action are piped in a bit louder.  The blast with the monster growl around the 1.48 part is truly brutal AF!!!  It really will ignite a fire under your arse!!

“Machine” is the obligatory long tech-death metal song!  At 9 minutes this song has it all.  A soft opening, transporting you into space, until the metal hits soon thereafter.  Very jumpy and sounding like First Fragment.  Halfway into the song, the spacelike, trance, blast with the harmonies, may make you zone out, with their ethereal madness.  Really creative guitar moments here.  This song blasts in so many directions and has a terrific blend of the atmospheric and tech brutality.

Retromorphosis sounds just like the last Spawn of Possession album, in many ways.  This production is dynamite and the musicianship is even better than the last SOP release.  There are a few moments that are definitely dizzying to the degree of wrapping your head around this mind-warping display of technical madness.  Right now with this album, and new albums from Obscura and Fleshbore these three albums are leading the tech death metal charge for 2025.  Psalmus Mortis is stunning!

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