I’m thankful for Death Metal. The crushing heaviness of daily life is magically mutilated with each blast beat and sick as fuck riff.

Moss Upon the Skull has been the soundtrack to my life for the past week. They’ve been in the game since 2010 and released their “Imperial Summoning” single back in 2014 followed by the EP Scourge of Ages in 2016. A compilation followed and then in 2018 they released In Vengeful Reverence; that was followed by absolutely nothing for six years and now they’ve resurfaced in 2024 with full-length Quest for the Sacred Fire.

The Secret Fire concept has its origin in the Chaldean Oracles of Zoroaster, and refers to the divine essence of the universe, towards which all matter yearns to move.

“Dwelling on Charnel Grounds” is the opener blasting it’s way through the boundaries of Hell. There’s an Incantation vibe that is absolutely welcome as it adds that cavernous feel to this punishingly beautiful track.

Quest for the Sacred Fire has a bit of a 90s influence and that’s evident on “Heretical Experiments in the Subterranean Citadel” which has a huge Pestilence vibe circa Hadeon this is a brutal beating and the fucking intro is on fire, it blasts and marches like a thousands strong army; some killer ambient effects pushing it forward.

“Reprisal from the Deep” has a Disincarnate vibe and dips into some Cynic territory near the end, it’s as otherworldly as the teachings of Zoroaster himself (yes, he was a real person, if you want to know more, Google that shit) and provides a brutal mind fucking experience.

“Paths Towards Chrysopoeia Pt. I” continues with the lumbering and lunching madness, it has an Atheist meets Pestilence mixed with more Disincarnate smell of filth to it that is extremely appealing to the noses of those who love that sort of thing.

“Initiation to the Extracorporeal Odyssey” is a 3:25 instrumental and it’s a mind flayer, “Writhing Through the Nebulae of Macrocosmic Disharmony” is the perfect extension of the former, it lunches and yes, it writhes with these sick as fuck riffs that get wrapped up in your cerebellum and just keep boring into the soft tissues.

“Woe to the Goldmakers (Paths Towards Chrysopoeia Pt. II)” is one of those perfect tracks like “Twisted Truth”; it’s avant-garde Death Metal muscle showing true dominance and it is the soul reaping technicalities of           “Quest for the Secret Fire (Theurgic Practice)” it rolls and thrashes like an alligator doing a death roll. It has this mesmerizing interlude around the 3:38 point that acts as a motherfucking bridge to savagery with some quick Death Thrash that goes full force blaster at the 7:34 point, beating you to a bloody mess.

At the end of the day Moss Upon the Skull has crafted a solid Death Metal creature that pulses with the heart of the 90s while blasting into the unknown. I urge you, constant reader to seek out this slab of grime, purulence and metaphysics combined; go out and obtain it. Now!

 

[Visit the band's website]

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