Cruciamentum - Obsidian Refractions

 

Few albums are more hotly anticipated this year than Cruciamentum's Obsidian Refractions. The band has built a cult following based on the strength of a handful of EP's, plus 2015's debut full length Charnel Passages. This record follows in the path laid by their previous work, it's crushingly heavy, riffy and enthusiastically delivered death metal that touches on so many elements that make the current wave of the genre so exciting. In so many ways they presaged it, and now they return with their first new material in 6 years to prove they have perfected it. 

Obsidian Refractions impresses because of the breadth of the work. This is death metal that feels larger than life and which consistently seems to put the band a head and shoulders above their peers. It's rare that you find a death metal band who can pull off a ten minute song convincingly, yet when Cruciamentum close out the album with the epic "Drowned" they do exactly that, and with aplomb. It's an epic record and one that as you gaze into its multi faceted layers seems like a sort of hell you can never escape from. That's exactly what makes the thing so damn compelling. It's death metal to consistently tear your sanity apart. 

Cruciamentum have proven once more that they deserve their indelible part of the death metal antheon. While it always feels like we have to wait an excruciating amount of time between releases it's because these guys are simply among the best to ever do it. Obsidian Refractions is a crusher, a record that highlights so much of what death metal is, and always should be. Letting yourself get immersed in this hellstorm is a delight and one that I think will keep devout fans coming back, as they should, to these underground masters.

Pre-order the album!

https://cruciamentum.bandcamp.com/album/obsidian-refractions