PHENOCRYST - Cremation Pyre
September 4, 2024, 8 hours ago
(Blood Harvest)
Portugal death metal monsters Phenocryst have the heaving sounds of death/doom down solid, as showcased immediately on killer opener “Pinnacle Of Death” here.
Hard to believe this is a debut as this band—who, astoundingly, sing strictly about volcanoes—sound so assured and steady-footed that you'd think this is four or five Immo- and Incan-loving albums in, but here we are, “Astonishing Devastation” the soundtrack to my morning coffee and also the total destruction of the world (via lava), blastbeats making an appearance but the whole thing still just being a slog through the sewer... uh, I mean volcanoes.
Album centrepiece “Embers Of An Ancient Fire” is 6:31 of pure atmospheric death/doom majesty, “Volcanic Winter” offers a wink and a nod to debut-era Entombed, and “Burial Swamps” ends things off smartly and maturely. I mean, the lyrical conceit may seem a bit absurd, but, what, does DM usually have something better to talk about?
No, so bring on the eruptions, bring on Phenocryst, bring on yet another excellent death metal record in a year just full of them, this one just one bit of red-hot molten lava away from being an 8.5, an achievement I'm sure they'll hit next time.
