Back in 2016 these California newcomers ( though the duo has served in black metal act Lake of Blood since 2008) released their debut album, the aptly named The Embodiment of Hate, and it would have made my year end list if I had hear it earlier. Well, there will be no such issues with the Springtime released follow up, the equally aptly named With Inexorable Suffering.

Not much has changed since the debut. The release is criminally short but devastatingly unique and savage in both delivery and production. The riffs are a twisty backwards Morbid Angel churn (circa Formulas and Gateways) meets Bolzer’s unorthodox pacing and structures melded with Angelcorpse’s blistering  aggression and hate. The vocals are blast furnace of layered, monstrous growls and tortured shouts.

After gnarly, throttling (literally) opening intro “Artificial Purgatory”, there is about 30 minutes of bristling, unbridled fury with a uncomfortable prose and posture throughout. It’s a wholly unique, hellish contemptuous  noise from start to finish that’ s hard to define or pigeonhole. Even when not spewing venom at full sped (i.e “Defiance and Upheaval”)  as heard on “The Blind Chimera and its Death” or “The Decay Maxim”, the shifty, unnatural riffs, rend and splay with the bare teeth,  unpredictable  ferocity of a wolf pack fight.

The perfectly named standout “Labyrinth Disorientation”  captures the band’s angular, visceral assault with savage capriciousness that simply defies what music structurally should deliver.  It’s almost alien in how it hits your ears, but a primal, lizard brain, neanderthal instinct  buried deep within recognizes its unforgiving brutality, and bows to it. Just listen to the almost 8 minute closer “Lawlessness Will Abound”. Those time changes, chord professions and riffs should not work together. But they do and they are merciless in their anguish drenched structures.

As with the debut, the only downside is its short run time, but that’s a willing sacrifice for such a phenomenal release.  Those that splurge on the LP version (thank goodness there is a CD version for this release), will be blown away by the artwork and embossed sigil, making it a visual as well as aural masterpiece for the new age of chaos.

[Visit the band's website]

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