Of Flesh and Worship

Glacial Tomb – Cognitive Erosion 

I heard about this band quite awhile ago and anxiously awaited to hear it for a few reasons. One of those reasons being that this band features current/ex members of Khemmis, Abigail Williams, and Cult of the Lost Cause. The other reason being that the band is based out of Denver, Colorado which holds a heavy music scene that has been killing it lately all across the board with the various sub-genres of metal. Glacial Tomb  fit nicely into the Denver scene because they manage to pull from several sounds and mold them together seamlessly. The music holds influence from black metal, doom metal, sludge metal, and there is even a hint of grind in there. If I had to compare them to another band I would have to go with Inter Arma just on how well they pull from many sounds and make them work together.

I think the riffs hit with the force of a hammer on anvil. This is definitely the case in the track “Of  Flesh and Worship.” The vocals howl like a wounded animal. The music definitely reflects the panic I would have if I woke up within a Glacial Tomb. My personal favorite track on Cognitive Erosion, is the closing track “Burial Shroud.” This track features abusive riffs, punishing drums, and a doom section. Glacial Tomb  is another band that can go on the list of promising bands from Denver, Colorado.

I urge you to give them a listen here

-REH

Cruz – Culto Abismol

Cruz – Culto Abismol (Sentient Ruin Laboratories 2016)

Cruz are a Barcelonan death metal band with a style that urges for the attention  of old school death metal fans. Culto Abismol starts out with “Mundos Disformes” which if I’m correct roughly translates to “Shapeless Worlds”.  This may be important to those who speak the language, but I am personally focused on the riffs. “Mundo Disformes” just takes off, which is something Cruz does well. This entire album goes at a fast pace and doesn’t let up much at all. The second track “A Cops De Destral” continues this trend of aggressive death metal.

As much as Cruz  like to go at a severe pace, the album isn’t lacking its moments of groove. I find the tracks later on in the album showcase this best. Tracks such as “La Caza”, “La Pitjor De Les Plagues“, and “Pesanta.” The latter of those is one of the few moments where Cruz  slow down for just a bit on Culto Abismol, however don’t let that fool you, they will pick things up again shortly. These three track all in a row are absolute bangers. For those who are looking to fill the gaping hole left by the retirement of Bolt Thrower, these tracks might help ease the pain. The final track “Tumbas Ciclopeas” is a very fitting end to such an aggressive album. It is full of groove as well as blistering riffs and abrasive drumming. This final track is also one of more groove with a middle section that might have some inspiration from Entombed.

Cruz deliver a ripper of an album, consisting of 8 tracks,  that is capable of breaking your neck. This is an album perfect for blowing off steam after a rough day. There might be a language barrier to some people with this band, but there will be no riff barrier. If crust punk influenced death metal is your thing than look no further. Give Cruz – Culto Abismol a listen on October 7th.

Give a track a listen here as well as pre-order the tape or vinyl. This will be a co-release through Sentient Ruin Laborartories, and To The Death Records (Sweden).

-REH

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