Catching Up With 2013: Grave Miasma's " Odori Sepulcrorum

Occult Death Metal is a thing ...Incantation being listed as the long running of these, which might be news to even the band in that case as I don't think they have any occult ties, perhaps this English band goes about playing death metal in more of a ritualistic manner, but it seems the key is having a cavernous quality and low guttural roar. I am unsure if I distinguished the second song from the opener on my first listen, as they all drone in together despite tempo changes.

One thing to appreciate about this brand of death metal is the more hypnotic nature created by the ambiance and I can say I like this album more the new Incantation. The pound to "Ovation of a Thousand Lost Reveries" is more deliberate, it alternate between passages of blasting and lurking melody in the dismal din of guitar. When the vocals go into a more agonized scream , they give a slightly more black metal feeling and seem to have more emotive quality than when they stay in the more typical death metal roar.

One advantage a death metal band like this has that employs a generous amount of varied atmosphere is , they don't have to rely on the vulgar display of volume and speed to keep you impressed, as that numbs you out. I am pretty locked on with this until, the momentum wanes a tad on the fourth song, but that is more mileage than if they had gone the wanna be Morbid Angel route. The solos are note worth as they use the single note guitar lines to employ melody rather than add to chaos.

By the time it gets to the title track , which opens up with a straight ahead burst of speed, the majick is beginning to want slightly and now the challenge for them to hold my attention arises.They go into a a cool slower dark riff that reels me back in. The urge to blast proves to strong for them to resist it long.  They redeem themselves on " Seven Coils" which takes an more experimental tone at the beginning. before launching into a Incantation styled rumble, that lulls me into a sonic vacuum.

They close the album out with a trance like dirge that starts off "Ossuary". They kept the riffs big and lumbering with the double bass speeding up underneath it. It rolls into what seems to be a drone it's hard to say as  its all white noise by the end. I will go ahead and give this one an 8. Its powerful and might grow on me but  it's nothing terribly original.