Every once and a while a release comes out that truly drops my jaw and leaves me salivating for more. Such is the case with Cracow Poland’s Redemptor fourth full length record Arthaneum. I consider myself a fairly well traveled connoisseur of polish technical death metal. This record goes beyond being a technical death metal album and is kind of on its very own plateau. The first thing that popped out to me when looking into Redemptor was the cover art of Arthaneum. It reminds me a bit of Willowtip Records recording Artists Ingurgitating Oblivion’s Visions Wallow in Symphonies of Light which also came out this year. More or less the use of sculptures drew me into delving a little bit deeper into the background of this group. Members of this group have been members of other Polish groups like: Vader, Decapitated, Sceptic, Hate, Antigama, and Sothoth. To name a few.
Arthaneum opens with “Eminence Grise” which builds slowly with droning synths and comes in with a nice tom roll into some gorgeously heavy riffing into a more somber clean blues section which is a recurring element throughout the album. The guitar work of Daniel Kesler and the drumming of Pawel Jaroszewicz is incredibly well locked in and focused throughout the entire record. Make no mistake ladies and gentlemen this is one the cleanest and best played albums of 2017 and being that it is being so released into this year this could be one that is easy to miss.
This album took the band over a year and a half to make. The amount of commitment put into this album shows on every track on the record. “Enormous Absolute” might be the heaviest song of the year and is prime example of diversity in composition. The work of Kesler and Jaroszewicz shines quite strongly on this track and the contrast between extremely heavy and extremely ethereal riffing is what continues to make this record so interesting to listen to. One of my only gripes with the album is the vocal effect that is used on and off throughout. I would have personally preferred no effects at all on the vocals as it does not sound like it is needed with all of the other natural performances. It a relatively small gripe and more so a small observation.
“Cremation of Care” is fine example of how Redemptor is influenced by Morbid Angel. The low end triplets and driving double kick parts are very well played but then the riffs seem to grow and grow and build into these huge sections that are incredibly pleasing. Kesler’s leadwork is also top notch throughout. I can’t say I have heard too many tech death records with such a bluesy touch. The title track reminds me a great deal of last year’s C. B Murdoc’s Here Be Dragons but with way more intricacies in the guitar department.
“What is to come” is one of the best instrumentals I have heard in years. Kesler’s fretboard work is absolutely stunning and again I am definitely going to have to check out Redemptor’s whole catalog as this album is so unbelievably well done that I believe it warrants checking out. This album might do for technical death metal what Ahab’s The Boats of Glen Carrig did for funeral doom a few years ago. This is one of the most meticulously well put together albums I have heard in a long time. This one is definitely going to be winding up in my top 5 of the year. Do not sleep on this album and reach out to Selfmadegod Records for this. Would love to see these guys at Maryland Death Fest some year.
[Visit the band's website]Find more articles with 2017, Nick K, Redemptor, Review, Selfmadegod Records
Comments
Leave a Reply
Goddamn this is good- so weird yet brutal. i dig the skronky yattering vibe too.
on Dec 18th, 2017 at 09:38I messaged the guitarist Dan. Apparently they used three different guitar tunings. The instrumental and some of the lead work is so non-conventional. Hard to even call this a death metal record.
on Dec 18th, 2017 at 13:41some weird, almost post hardcore guitar passages. strange, unique flow to this. Shame their one guitarist is under arrest for sexual assault with Decapitated, this is great stuff.
on Dec 20th, 2017 at 10:45Yeah, there is a lot going on with this album.. The production is so pristine. I listened to this like a day before the new morbid angel and thought the new morbid production was nowhere near this. I also am guessing it did not take Morbid 18 months to make Kingdoms but.. what do i know.. lol
on Dec 20th, 2017 at 17:59I agree about the vocal effects, … it’s kind of weird, but it does fit the overall vibe, though.
on Dec 23rd, 2017 at 08:12Love that quirky dissonant Immolation/Morbid Angel vibe. This is awesome!
on Dec 31st, 2017 at 19:07The Morbid Angel album sounds like it was written and recorded in a week, in a basement somewhere.
on Dec 31st, 2017 at 19:26