The other day I was driving my mom around and the car decided it wanted to keep playing this album. She was commenting that it isn’t music and even did a growl (which was kind of fucking adorable, I’m not going to lie), however, Death Metal is extreme music for extreme people (and my mom’s not very extreme), so that doesn’t really apply to her. But, fortunately for me Maze of Sothoth dishes up some freakishly awesome Tech-Death with workmanlike precision. Hailing from Bergamo, Lombardy (that’s Italy, by the way), and much like their country mates Hideous Divinity, Maze of Sothoth play some serious Technical Death Metal with Lovecraftian overtones… IA! IA! Cthulhu F’Taghn!
“The Unspeakable” is the first bottom dweller to blast forth, literally. The beating slows for the killer of solos at 1.41 before the pummeling resumes. “Eliminate Contamination” has this sick as a motherfucker riff that just twists and turns throughout. It’s tracks like “The Revocation Dogma” where they pull out every trick in their slimy bag with these amazing guitar acrobatics.
It’s track four, the absolutely crushing “Blood Tribute” beginning as a mid paced doomy track, it erupts into an insane blast section around 2.30 that doesn’t let up till the 4.00 mark when it slows back down. “Blasphemous Ritual” and “Parallel Evolution” are both solid bangers that keep the album interesting enough to ensure repeated listens. Closer “Scorn of Flesh” starts off with this kicking riff, blasts for a bit and suddenly there are blast beats, breakdowns, and nearly percussive guitars going full fucking tilt… and then it ends, just like that.
After experiencing Extirpated Light, I will be going back and checking out 2017’s Soul Demise, and I’m recommending Maze of Sothoth for those who headbang at the thrones of Morbid Angel, Hideous Divinity, Sinister and Hate Eternal. This is a great Springtime album, bursting with a contaminated soul that will make the coming inferno of Summer a bit more bearable. Get it, got it, good!
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Find more articles with 2023, Everlasting Spew Records, Jeremy Beck, Maze of Sothoth, Review, Technical Death Metal
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