Sporae Autem Yuggoth : "However It Still Moves"

 

So far this year has not found a high influx of death doom. It is a sub-genre that when done right is powerfully heavy and recent years found some outstanding albums that bore the label. This band from Chile sets the stage for darkness to descend, but the test will be how good they are as songwriters. There is a slight woozy element to their sound. The vocals also sit a little high in the mix. I do like their use of synths to create the mood. The vocal phrasing is not using them for more than a obligatory growl, despite the lyrics being discernable. Hopefully this is something that gets smoothed out, but I am not holding my breath.

 The second song finds the riffs grinding together in something that is heavy yet wrestles with the ebb and flow of atmosphere. As far as arrangements go it feels like the transitions could be more organic. They do prove themselves capable of working everything into reasonably well paced death metal with a sullen coat of gloom by the third song. There is a more classic death metal grit to "Disintegration". The synths work well once more to add the needed ambiance. They are the only element that is bringing something new to the table as I heard this sort of thing before. It only takes two minutes into the song for me to come to that conclusion. Some darker melodies do emerge midway into the song, but not really enough to inspire me to want to give it more spins. I listen to so much new metal over the course of a week, it takes a great deal to stand out from the ten other death metal bands sitting in my in-box. 

Do they really need a twelve and a half minute song is what I ask myself going into "Disguise the Odious Spirits" . It takes two and a half minutes for the song to kick in , but I do prefer this more melodic direction. Yes , it carries more of a doom feel, but it is more effective. Could they streamline things down into a more efficient song? Sure. The last actual song  carries a more compelling throb. This finds them reaching a middle ground, to create a slow build that proves they prove they have nothing to prove by blasting into savagery.  I will give this album a 9, as it grew on me and proves dark melodies go further than Neanderthal pounding any day.