Cursed Ways of Sheol

French death metal maniacs Sépulcre are back to follow their malicious demo with a four track EP of diabolical ancient extremity.

Starting out, sampled winds howl before violent riffs and whammy dives thrash into life atop crashing waves of cymbals being beaten mercilessly. The diabolical instrumentals instantly fill the air with the repugnant late 80s death-thrash vitriol that ebbs and flows with more charnel atmospherics, wavering on the fetid ambience with whiplash grooves before plunging into the depths of sepulchral torment. This visceral cacophony of noise is immediately gripping with very intricate changes in feel while the savage playing remains consistent across the board. Balancing nuance with obnoxious ferocity can be tough, but these French barbarians hold true to the ways of old without looking back too much, planing their flag in the skulls of all things trendy from the onset.

Unafraid of stripping things back, we get plenty of primitiveness that counters the ghastly and potent atmosphere with a crushing blow of putrid punishment. These mixtures make for a superb concoction of morbidity that trails from faster pulverisation to doomy expanses with ease, enshrouded with a certain mystique yet unpretentious in all of its unrefined glory. This production is very natural, allowing everything room to breathe, without compressing or shaving away any of the organic and weighty sound that the band has clearly worked hard toward developing. I really enjoyed the demo, but this is definitely a huge step forward in developing their vision to something far more complete and all-consuming with its expansive and restless nature unbridled and feral.

Sometimes a gem of underground death metal gives the impression that it may not break free from the darkest depths to be tainted by dullards, but leaves an unshakable trace that you will keep coming back to. These are the exact kind of releases I try my best to seek out and highlight here, and “Cursed Ways Of Sheol” is unquestionably one of them. There is an unmistakable magic to this record, that the above track “Aethyr Emanations” should prove to those eager to sample pre-release, though cannot truly appreciate without the full context. Closing on a grandiose, nearly ten minute offering, this finale graces us with closure splendidly. Sometimes EP’s can lack the total direction of a full-length, but this does not. Simply put, everything is given to us with a certain hostile intent, nothing is held back. Prepare for obliteration as your eternal soul is shown the abyssal devastation of Sépulcre, for you will not forget this experience.

A truly promising EP of Death Metal finesse that renders pretentious wannabes mangled and voided. Blending triumphant bouts of bestial aggression with spectral atmospherics and exuberant dives into graven sombreness, there is a huge amount of diversity while all things retain their macabre cloak of decay from start to end. Sépulcre prove themselves to be on heightened form all round. This diseased extended play will punish, enslave and devour with no mercy.

Written for www.nattskog.wordpress.com