Buckeye metal merchants Terranoct put it out there on their first full-length album, Icon Of Ruin.

Terranoct came together in 2016, and reportedly had operated under a different name for a full lustrum before that. They let out a several singles leading up to the long-player at hand, tantalizing their fans. The new album is a major achievement, and a strong sign that Terranoct is ready to make a big jump up. The band is Tyler O’Brien (guitar, clean vocals), Ricky Lewis (vocals), Rickie Palmer (guitar), and Dan Paddy (drums).

“Meridian” opens things up with mystery as we follow a warbling guitar into the mist. Sharp electrics load in next, presaging the dread we did not know for sure was coming. This intro piece has both a technical and an emotional feel to it. “Omnipotence” has no tentativeness. It raises blisters from the start. The music is a joining of technical death metal and thrash that will really pin your ears back. There is a virtuoso precision and also a street-level ferocity going on that is intoxicating. The vocal pairings are gold, and the lead guitar is an impossible magic carpet ride. “Cast In Stone” fools you with a slower open, then picks up the pace and weaves ribbons of spells into an inseverable knot. “Heresy” has some groove in its hook, and “Dystopian Dance” is a longform, carefully shaded nightmare. This is turning out to be quite a ride.

The album has features that will appeal to fans of the gruffest sort, and also those who lean on the technical side. I especially appreciate the otherworldly feel the musicians are able to bring into every piece. Notice particularly “Call Of The Void” and “Cerebral Strangulation,” the longest tracks on the album. The weight and depth of these songs is incredible, as is the pace and stamina. There are no low spots on the record – every bit claps around you and rattles your bones. Recommended.

Icon Of Ruin is out on Friday, April 28^th – it can be had at the links below.

Links.

Bandcamp, https://terranoctband.bandcamp.com/

Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/Terranoct/

© Wayne Edwards