Sepulchre "Earthbound"

    Some bands will work on a demo and then decide not to release the final product until a few years laters, which to some might not make sense, but I think as long as the release gets to see the light of day that we should not complain. When I saw that Sepulchre uploaded a demo that they recorded back in 2017, I was instantly interested in hearing what this trio from Sonoma County had to offer, especially considering I have not heard new material from them in quite some time .

    “Earthbound,” is an ambitious effort and one that I would describe as a journey into this band’s unique extreme metal mindset. Unlike most modern death metal bands, Sepulchre does not play within the repetitive death metal box, and instead looks to tear down the box by jumping out into a void of dynamic creativity. I’ve known these guys for a fair amount of time and over the years I have had the opportunity to watch them rapidly grow as musicians and songwriters. Sepulchre shows a willingness to push themselves and this new demo is yet another example of that dedication to pushing the boundaries and forming their own extreme metal identity.

    The opening track off of this demo called, “Sum Quod Eris,” is like stepping through a gateway into an abysmal musical landscape shrouded in endless galactic darkness. Your ears are filled with the sounds of unworldly sounding guitars parts that are accompanied by ominous bass lines and catastrophic drumming. The band composes this unpredictable world of instrumental aggression pulling you through countless twists and turns, although never loosing that sense of purpose as the music evolves throughout the track.

Sepulchre live in 2015

    The second song on the demo, “Effigy Wounds,” is another ruthless vision into a realm of endless torment and instrumental entropy. I feel like the riffs on this track are presented in a more direct and uncompromising manner. Also, the lead guitar playing provides a frantic deviation at times to keep you completely engaged. When listening to the song you feel like you are being bludgeoned by an avalanche of noise, however, the band’s ability to harness all those different compositions is executed extremely well.

    In conclusion, “Earthbound,” is yet another example of Sepulchre demonstrating their strong progressive death metal talents. This release may not be in contention for album of the year, or might now be getting nominated for a Grammy, but what this release serves as is a glimpse into what these guys can accomplish musically. No matter what happens going forward, I will always believe that if Sepulchre can take what they have done on their demos, especially this new one, this group has the potential to record an exceptional and timeless death metal release. I hope that they are given that opportunity, because I strongly believe in these musicians.

    People tend to forget that Rush didn’t just write, “2112,” and that album became a legendary release overnight. Then again I am a huge Rush fan, so I know the story and the details. The album before, “2112,” which was, “Caress of Steel,” was considered by a lot of critics at the time as completely out of the ordinary. What no one will ever understand is that, “Caress of Steel,” was the rough draft that would eventually become, “2112.” If you actually listen to, “Caress of Steel,” it is a phenomenal album and allowed Rush a chance to experiment with their musical ideas that would eventually be fulfilled on, “2112.”

    I use my Rush example as a reason as to why people should listen to Sepulchre’s new demo and pay close attention to what these guys are trying to achieve. The seeds of something greater to come are there if you really pay attention, we just have to sit back and let time tell if those seeds will grow.




Check out the entire demo below:

Sepulchre Facebook Page:

https://www.facebook.com/bayareasepulchre/