By:
Richard Maw
Album
Type: EP
Date
Released: 19/08/2016
Label: Prosthetic
Records
“The Apothic Gloom”CD//DD//LP track listing:
1).
The Aphotic Gloom
2).
Well of Despair
3).
Black Waters
4).
Red Death, White Light
The Review:
Skeletonwitch return with new vocalist Adam Clemans,
following the rather ignominious departure of Chance Garnette. This tasty EP
clocks in four tracks over its 20mins playing time; not far off the length of
their last album! The EP finds the band in more measured mood; black metal
riffing and blasts are present and more to the fore, frantic thrash riffing
less so.
The
titular opener is a sombre and rather epic affair- good production and many
guitars layered over one another. The Skeletonwitch of 2016
is a rather more controlled beast. “Well
of Despair” is similarly downbeat but with plenty of neck snapping thrash
beats and that edge of blackened style to the riffing. There are some fantastic
riffs on offer, so an excellent opening salvo, then.
“Black Waters” starts with
some cracking riffage and maintains a kind of mid pace for the first minute,
then blasts away. The band run through the gears convincingly, showing that
they have lost none of their bite along with their front man. The mix is
excellent, incidentally, and the bass runs really shine throughout. Nice solo
to close it out in style as well.
The
EP ends on the epic “Red Death, White
Light”: over seven minutes in length. This track is unusual in Skeletonwitch's catalogue both for its length and
atmosphere- which is both downcast and angry. Suffice it to say that this EP is
a triumph and one that represents good value for money. I have liked all their
records in the past. They are not reinventing the wheel and they are not going
to push the intellectual boundaries of extreme music. Don't think too hard
about it, it is metal. Indeed, some of the best metal you will hear this year.
‘The Aphotic
Gloom’ is
available here
RIYL: Goatwhore, Toxic Holocaust, 3
Inches of Blood, The Black Dahlia Murder
