Affliction

This reviews was originally published by Deaf Sparrow on 26 February 2016 as part of its special feature "Quick Reviews."

We did a special feature for Blood Harvest Records when the new site first launched, but this is the first time we've heard from them since then, with the UK's Caecus. This is their first release, featuring artwork from the awesome Bad News Brown.

Blackened death metal is probably the hardest genre to ruin because of its natural quality of sounding defiled. This, in itself, can make even the worst sound awesome because the approach is geared more towards lo-fi sludge fanatics who'll love it just for the fact that no one else will listen to it. Also, scary.

This 7" is only three tracks, but Caecus have consistent control of the corrupt. "Affliction", as a whole, is cavernous , but in terms of actual substance this same analogy is somewhat pertinent. The typical listener will find this pleasing, there's no doubt, the bass is clear, it flies like bats from that cave, the vocals groan with just enough echo to scare them out, but really that's the usual for this kind of thing. If you're looking for something new in the cavern analogy I keep pulling out, these guys, at least with this first one, aren't there yet. But for a debut it's definitely enjoyable, if sometimes forgettable. That final track though, good. Pay attention to them in the future, and give some likes. In a way it might remind one of bands like Harvest Gulgaltha, with less blackness.