Blackened Doom Metal

Civerous, Decrepit Flesh Relic (Transylvanian Recordings 2021)

Wayne Edwards, , , , , , , , ,

The Los Angeles blackened metal band Civerous brings forth its first full-length album, Decrepit Flesh Relic.

Beginning only a couple years ago, Civerous has released two demos and a live set, along with a split pairing them with Stygian Obsession. The steady work has paid off, culminating in one of the strongest records in the blackened death/doom arena this year. The band is Daniel Salinas (guitar), Alonso Santana (guitar), Lord Foul (vocals), Drew Horton (bass), and Matt Valencia (drums).

After the creeps-inducing intro piece “Eidolon,” there are six primary tracks on the album. Having set the mood to dark and tense, “From The Crypt To The Cavern” is a functional nightmare. The riff is a heavy clomp that batters you up front in anticipation of the following tenderizing percussion and growling vocals filled with the wisdom of eldritch blackness. “Herodacy” deepens the lines of inquiry as a well-timed lead-in to “Rot Delineated (Decrepit Flesh Relic),” a quieter and creepier rendering of similar sentiments, evolving slowly into beautifully crushing doom.

“Hubiku” is a trip down the sinkhole into the swirling chasm of hell – once you pass the event horizon, there is no escape. “Bone Wreath” is the song that stuck deepest in my brain. The hopelessness conveyed in the opening moments is monumental, and the reckoning of that promise is unforgettable. The final movement is the epic “Spiral OF Eyes,” a tale older than time; maker of destruction. The darkness evoked is sincere and penetrating.

I appreciate especially the commitment to doom throughout the album, and the willingness to explore in directions that could not be easily predicted by the listener in advance. This recording deserves attention and should make year-end “best of” lists far and wide. Highly recommended.

Decrepit Flesh Relic is out now through Transylvanian Records. Hit the links below.

Links.

Bandcamp, https://transylvaniantapes.bandcamp.com/album/civerous-decrepit-flesh-relic

Transylvania Recordings, https://transylvaniantapes.bandcamp.com/

Civerous, Decrepit Flesh Relic (Transylvanian Recordings 2021)

Lvcifyer, The Broken Seal (Dark Descent Records 2021)

Wayne Edwards, , , , , , ,

Let the darkness surround you with the new album from Lvcifyre, The Broken Seal.

You might be able to guess from the name of the band that their musical leaning is in the Black and Death Metal direction. Lvcifyer released their first EP in 2009 and two long-players after that, The Calling Depths (2011) and Svn Eater (2014). Another EP, Sacrament, staved off fan cravings in 2019 until The Broken Seal entered the cosmos. Of course the music is heavy and fast and ravaging, and the themes of chaos, darkness, and woe are ever-present. Naturally.

The opening bars of the first track are a dark ramp of emergent noise and growls and then a punishing attack on your senses. This is what I expected. Speed and ferocity in the opening salvo. But in the second song, “Tribes of Khem,” the perspective deepens and branches out in measured and fascinating ways. The tempo moderates and the vocals exude dark power. The riffs are not desensitizing and the blast beats become judicious.

“Black Beneath the Sun” is even weightier in its musical expression, displaying eruptions along with a discernable linearity. Indeed, the music becomes positively theatrical at points. These compositional choices give the album balance and make the tracks individually more memorable and the set overall more powerful.

Other stand-out songs are “The First Archon” with its pushing, enlivening insistence and the closer, “Black Mass,” with its gorgeous Blackened Doom palette. This album is my first serious listen to Lvcifyre but it will not be my last – it has made a big impression on me. Recommended.

The Broken Seal is out today, Friday, September 10th from Dark Descent Records in the US and Norma Evangelium Diaboli in Europe.

Links.

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

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

Dark Descent Records, http://www.darkdescentrecords.com/store/

Lvcifyer, The Broken Seal (Dark Descent Records 2021)