ABERRATION / DIABOLIC OATH 7” Split “Divinations”

    After dominating 2023 as one of the most brutal and savage extreme music labels around, Sentient Ruin looks to continue their sadistic sonic reign of terror into 2024 by unleashing an unbelievably sinister 7” split called, “Divinations.” This new split features two talented up and coming extreme metal acts that have put out some insanely decimating releases in the past via Sentient Ruin. Aberration from Minneapolis, MN and Diabolic Oath from Portland, OR, are two fiendish and abhorrent bands that conjure up some wicked blackened death compositions to create these suffocating abyss like atmospheres that exude such a pestilent sounding aura. 

    When I heard Aberration and Diabolic Oath would be working together, I knew right away that this split was going to offer up some monstrous sounding compositions. Both bands really capture the pure dark essence of classic black/death metal music, which is why I think fans of extreme metal music will be instantly hooked once they hear the songs on this release. Out of the two songs featured on this split, I do not believe you can say that one is better than the other, because both bands equally deliver some gruesome skull crushing riffs and truly demonic vocal parts to paint these abysmal and catastrophic musical landscapes. 

Aberration

    Aberration’s song, “Divinations of Flesh,” starts off with a flurry of primate sounding blast beats and agonizing guitar work. The vocals are utterly insidious sounding, which definitely adds to the song’s ritualistically malevolent tone. I really liked when the music slowed down and gave off a very ominous sound that slowly shreds away at your sanity as you are dragged down in the nightmarish depths of infinite darkness. Diabolic Oath’s track, “Divinations of Wrath,” was also very ruthless sounding with its very unapologetic and abrasive arrangements. The entropic guitar parts vividly standout throughout the song, which does not surprise me given the band's previous releases which also happen to feature a plethora of brutal mind altering riffs. Plus, I thought the raw production quality made the band sound even more fearsome as the song progressed and the music continued to focus in on these vile sounding riff structures. 

Diabolic Oath

    Overall, both bands really complimented each other extremely well on this split, and it comes as no surprise that Sentient Ruin will be responsible for releasing this sinister offering to kick off 2024. I would say that this is but a small taste of the destructive blackened death metal talents that Aberration and Diabolic Oath have to offer, as both shall be releasing new full-lengths this year. From this new split release alone, I predict we are going to be hearing a lot of apocalyptically decimating releases form Sentient Ruin in 2024, and Aberration and Diabolic Oath are the first two bands to commence the cataclysmic extreme metal onslaught. 

Check out the full split below :

Sentient Ruin Bandcamp:

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/

Ceremonial Bloodbath “Genesis of Malignant Entropy”

    Sentient Ruin has already released a plethora of unfathomably brutal releases this year, however Ceremonial Bloodbath’s sophomore release “Genesis of Malignant Entropy,” is the apex album when pertaining to raw inhuman brutality. Based out of Vancouver BC, Canada, Ceremonial Bloodbath’s savage scorched-earth blackened death metal style is on a completely different level, and the band's new material looks to take the underground metal community by overwhelmingly unapologetic force. 

    Ceremonial Bloodbath's debut full-length album which was also released through Sentient Ruin, “The Tides of Blood,” is a monstrous sounding release featuring some unbelievably pestilent sounding cuts of gruesome blackened death metal along with some extremely insidious lyrical themes. If you enjoy pulverizing sadistic music similar to that of Bestial Warlust, Blasphemy, Archgoat and Beherit, then you will be instantly hooked by Ceremonial Bloodbath’s music. On this new album, these ruthless Canadian extreme metal musicians come up with even more apocalyptically devastating tracks by continuing where they left off on, “The Tides of Blood,” and going further into the deafening chaotic sounding realms of unspeakable demonic horror. 

    From the instant you start listening to this album, you feel as though you have stepped into some unholy wasteland where there is still this inhumanly savage sounding massacre taking place. The opening track, “The Ritual of Unholy Descent,” establishes a haunting atmosphere of pure surrealistic sounding horror to paint this lifeless dominion which has been incinerated through mass slaughter. On the second track, “Exhumation of the Ominous,” the band aggressively launches into a destructive sounding arrangement featuring some feverish drumming and savage riffs. The drumming on this album is utterly ear shattering and adds to the album’s catastrophic vision by fueling the band’s abhorrent drive with gruesome bone crushing rhythms. 

    Along with the primordial rhythms and barbaric guitar playing, I thought the vocals on this album were really sinister sounding and perfectly complimented the compositions. During the third track, "Bloodlust Raids of Vengeance,” I really thought that the hateful sounding vocals damned your full attention as the band hacked away at these sickening riff progressions. Another area of this album that I thought the band excelled at was incorporating some of those Bolt Thrower like lead parts into the bludgeoning mix, especially the frantic guitar solo towards the end of, “Bloodlust Raids of Vengeance.” One of the my favorite songs off of the album, “The Boneless One,” is another entropic exploration into the blackened death metal void that paints a horrendously bestial landscape where all light has been devoured by dark ageless entities. 

    Throughout this entire album I do not believe that the band ever failed to deliver a profoundly brutal sounding piece of music. Tracks like “Caustic Invocation” and “Dissonance of Morbidity,” convey such ferociously festering emotions that you become hopelessly trapped in this distorted sounding bombardment. I would say, “Mutilation of Sacrifice” is another exceptional cut of morbid brutality that appeared on the band’s 2021 demo titled, “Mutilation of Sacrifice.” I think the song perfectly fits into this album’s abysmal theme by really putting an emphasis on those agonizing riff sections as well as the blistering lead parts. For the final track on the album, “The Invocation of the Tomb of Mankind,” the band concludes by creating these terrifying cinematic sounds that makes you feel as if you are standing all alone on a deserted dark plain after witness some tragic event unfold. This feeling of complete solitude and frightening isolation is a surprising way to end an album after hearing such crushing sounding arrangements, but in the end that is what I think makes this final track vividly standout. 

    Overall, “Genesis of Malignant Entropy,” is an extremely sadistic offering and ventures into an even more hellacious direction musically, which is saying something given how much profoundly dark abhorrent energy can be heard on the band's first release. In my opinion, Ceremonial Bloodbath is one of the most destructively omniscient sounding blackened death metal acts around, and they have really worked hard to achieve a malevolent sound. I highly recommend that you check this album out as I do believe, “Genesis of Malignant Entropy,” will be making its way on some top ten lists for this year, because when all is said and done there is no denying this band’s truly raw ritualistic blackened death metal talents. 

Check out the song "Bloodlust Raids of Vengeance" below:

Sentient Ruin Bandcamp:

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/genesis-of-malignant-entropy

Ceremonial Bloodbath Bandcamp:

https://ceremonialbloodbath.bandcamp.com/music

Ch’Ahom “Knots of Abhorrence”

    There is much to be said about the raw surrealistic brutality which Ch’Ahom diabolically explores throughout their debut full-length release, “Knots of Abhorrence.” The band’s sadistic blend of savage ritualistic bestial blackened death metal with mind bending progressive elements creates a vividly abhorrent tale that travels deep into the dark jungles where malevolent forces dwell amongst the ancient mysterious ruins. 

    What impressed me most from these German extreme metal musicians was how well they captured the album’s theme by incorporating some ritualistic tribal noises to create these haunting hallucinogenic moments right before they would launch into a brutal sounding blackened death metal onslaught. The monumental riffs sections mixed with the constant nerve shattering rhythms from the band’s insanely talented drummer, really establishes this violent and unpredictable extreme sounding atmospheres. 

    From the very beginning of this album until the end, each of the five tracks hooks you with such aggressively raw force. The profound sonic exploration into the ancient Mayan lore and ritualistic themes is what I picked up right away when I started listening to the first track, “Xibalba.” You become completely frozen with fear by the primitive drum sounds and ceremonial flutes as if you are walking into a spiritual ritual that begins to unfold into something even darker once the gritty guitar distortion slowly creeps in and eventually kicks into a monstrous death metal assault. Ch’Ahom does a really great job when pertaining to how they transition from the slow riff sections to the more intense arrangements where you feel as though you are being viciously torn apart as the music ruthlessly evolves. 

    The band's fiendish and horrifying extreme metal mindset continues on the second track, “Chavín de Huántar,” which is another pulverizing piece of metal music featuring some utterly deafening rhythms along with some insanely frantic guitar solos. The lead guitar playing throughout this album is another crucial factor in establishing such an unfathomably brutal sound, and in my opinion the lead parts on, “Path to Ixtab,” perfectly compliments the juggernaut sized riffs. “Path to Ixtab,” is an extraordinary bestial beatdown that contains some really agonizing arrangements which reminded me of bands like Beherit, Necrovore and Archgoat. 

    The final two songs on the album, “Knots of Abhorrence I and Knots of Abhorrence II,” are both solid tracks containing more fearsome riffs and decimating drum parts, yet the band keeps standing out amongst most modern metal bands by passionately pursuing their sinisterly creative vision. I really believe that the overall execution and production on the final two tracks solidifies this album as one of the best extreme conceptual releases to come out this year.  Towards the end of, “Knots of Abhorrence II,” you start feel as though everything around you is imploding as the lead guitarist tears through these entropic sounding scales. 

    Sentient Ruin will be responsible for releasing this ritualistic blackened death metal beast upon the metal world, so make sure to mark your calendars for November 3rd when the album is to be released. “Knots of Abhorrence,” is a strong debut album and Ch’Ahom is a band that demonstrates some truly talented extreme music making skills. Also, the creativity that went into developing the album's lyrical themes is another reason why this album makes for a solid listening experience from start to finish. I highly look forward to how the band will build off of this album's strong execution and vivid lyrical themes on future releases, but for now I shall rejoice in the ceremonial sonic carnage that can be heard on this debut album. 

Check out the track, "Knots of Abhorrence I," below:

Sentient Ruin Bandcamp:

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/

Anticreation "From the Dust of Embers"

    The amount of raw malevolent energy that can be heard on Anticreation’s debut album, “From the Dust of Embers,” is almost inconceivable at times, and you question whether or not this band is being guided by some dark spiritual entity. The mixture of vile sounding black metal and ruthless sounding old school death metal is what makes these Greek extreme metal musicians vividly standout. 

    The overall album is an utterly brutal assault of abhorrent creativity that marches to the beat of an insidious war drum looking to slaughter all which stands in this band's way. From start to finish the band demands your attention, and the arrangements are written with tremendous malice and keen extreme metal prowess. This shouldn’t come as a surprise that the band is working with Sentient Ruin on the release of this album, as the label always proves to be a great judge of extreme artistic talent. 

    If Anticreation was to have favored one style of extreme music on this release instead of having that strong balance, I do not believe the album would have caught my attention like it did. As much as you hear bands mixing black metal and old school death metal fairly often nowadays, you still find that some artists end up getting stuck in the repetitive cycle of writing very forgettable and generic extreme sounding compositions that lack a certain level of profound presentation. I believe an album's overall atmosphere and strong recording quality can really help a band achieve that extra edge over the usual modern extreme metal acts, and Anticreation seemed to have achieved that on this album. 

    The first track, “Faith’s Demystification,” reminded me of something that you would hear at the beginning of an occult themed horror film where you are left with this feeling that something terrifying is about to commence. I like how the track built up suspense and then out of no where comes a bombastic sounding guitar riff to setup up the next track, “From the Dust of Embers.” The band holds nothing back by unleashing a thunderstorm of sickening blackened death metal to overwhelm listeners with a sea of gruesome distortion. The third track, “The Beauty of Lava,” raises the brutality to another level and the singer provides some unbelievably monstrous vocal parts. This band definitely pays attention to when they want to slow things down to create an ominous sounding landscape, but they also recognize when to speed up the tempo to send listeners back into a chaotic instrumental firestorm of relentless aggression.  

    Throughout the rest of the album I found that the songwriting and musicianship always seemed to be extremely tight sounding, thus making for a strong overall listening experience. “A Journey Into the Throat of Death,” is one song that really impressed me and conveyed a very raw old school death metal sound, yet also utilized some very hellish sounding ambient noises. The band never seems to just slap together a song, and once they begin a track you are presented with this furious rush of unapologetic artistic expression until the distortion fades away. Plus, the drumming is out of this world at times like on the track, “Unborn,” which I thought featured some pulverizing blast beats. 

    I would say that Anticreation is a band that definitely compliments the Sentient Ruin roster quite well with their debut album, “From the Dust of Embers.” The band captures the pure hateful essence of unforgiving extreme metal music by composing tracks that exude true pestilence and disgust. Some bands can say that they despise humanity and that they are the baddest dudes around, but then when you hear their music they sound like a Dollar Store version of Morbid Angel. That is definitely not the case with Anticreation, because this band records music with a merciless passion to strike fear in the hearts and minds of all those who wish to defy their profound brutality. 

Check out the song "From the Dust of Embers" below (Also, album comes out July 8th with Sentient Ruin handling distribution for the Americas and Nuclear Winter Records handling the distribution for Europe): 

Sentient Ruin Bandcamp:

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/

Nuclear Winter Records (Europe) :

https://nuclearwinterrecords.bandcamp.com/

Disimperium "Malefic Obliteration"

   This release may only feature three tracks, however I recommend that you do not underestimate Disimperium’s sadistic sounding extreme metal vision. The band’s debut EP, “Malefic Obliteration,” is a blackened death onslaught, throwing listeners into a savage realm of fearsome desolation. 

   Featuring members from Misrule and Ascended Dead, this Portland, OR based band really turns up the intensity on their debut EP. Disimperium is not trying to do anything completely different from what one might expect from a merciless blackened death metal band that also mixes in some old school grindcore elements, although the band seems to know how to produce a vivid and hellish sounding release that contains some agonizing compositions.

   Yes, this style of music has been hammered out numerous times before, but what separates this band from the others is the solid production and brutal execution on each track. The open riff on the first track, “Malefic Obliteration,” is a sinister sounding assault that comes charging at you like a chainsaw wielding lunatic. The vocals were what really stood out the most and the singer unleashes some horrendous growls as the music violently transitions. So much chaos, so much insanity and so much utter insidious creativity that it literally makes your head spin. 

   The next song, “Fuming Nexus,” is very similar to the opening track, and once again throws you into this cataclysmic atmosphere full of brutal instrumental arrangements. I cannot believe the drumming on this release at times and how the force of the rhythms come rumbling out of the speakers like a Sherman Tank. Turn this release on at full volume and you are sure to become deaf after a couple listens! The album’s final track, “Infernal Machine,” was another wicked offering and the ending perfectly summed up the band’s destructive vision. Eventually the band stops playing and all you hear is feedback and inhuman noises as if everything has been completely decimated by some apocalyptic event. 

   Disimperium is a band that you should not be surprised is working with Sentient Ruin on the release of this EP. Once again, here is a group that gets how to produce a vicious sounding album and demonstrates a certain caliber of musicianship I feel is lacking at times amongst some up and coming bands. “Malefic Obliteration,” by Disimperium is highly recommend for blackened death metal grindcore fanatics who wish to hear something that is brutal from start to finish, and of course is being released through one of the premier labels within the extreme metal community. 

Check out the entire EP below: 

Sentient Ruin Bandcamp:

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/malefic-obliteration

Concilium "Desecration"

   Crawling out of the wretched abyss comes a ritualistic offering of pure sickening brutality to present before the extreme music altar! Concilium’s debut release, “Desecration,” is an extremely raw sounding piece of black/death metal that also incorporates some agonizing doom elements. This Portuguese extreme metal band constructs some unbelievably insidious sounding atmospheres, while also leading listeners straight into a nightmare realm full of inhuman sounds. 

   Joining forces with Sentient Ruin Laborites, Concilium looks to unleash a tsunami of unfathomable chaos upon the metal world with their debut release. Musically, the band does not rely on overly technical compositions, or flashy guitar work to bog you down with random and excessive sounding riff progressions. Throughout the album Concilium presents solid sounding arrangements that are locked into this hellish vision, thus taking listeners on one hellish journey.   

   The album's low-fi and unforgiving occult like atmosphere succeeds in creating a merciless sounding musical landscape. On the open track, “From the Chalice,” the band introduces listeners to this massive bludgeoning of fiendish riffs and tormented sounding vocals. They do a solid job building up anticipation as the song progresses, which ultimately establishes their sacrilegious sounding dominion of pure evil. 

   On the following tracks like, “Shadow Gospels” and “From Emptiness to Oblivion,” the band continues to explore the dark confines of their abhorrent musical mindset, while also taking the music in a variety of haunting directions. “From Emptiness to Oblivion,” is a truly impressive arrangement that incorporates some mesmerizing guitar work to create a calming void like world that eventually succumbs to an explosion of raw ritualistic sounding instrumental chaos. 

   The drumming on the album is very primitive sounding and definitely adds to the band's bloodthirsty raw style by providing the right amount of brutal aggression. On the track, “Sacred Land of the Impure Blood,” you feel as though the world is crumbling around you and the entire arrangement is fueled by a barrage of skull crushing drum parts, inhumane vocals and ear piercing guitar riffs. The last song on the album, “Blood Candles,” is without question my favorite track and presents a more mind altering doom like atmosphere. Over the years I’ve notice that when recorded properly, the slower and extremely sludgy sounding arrangements always seems to leave the greatest impact. Plus, you become possessed by the simplistic rhythms that guide you through all the apocalyptic sounding decimation to reach that calming end when everything slowly fades away. 

   Once again, here is a band working Sentient Ruin that gets what it takes to record an impressive and engaging album from beginning to end. The haunting blend of extreme music styles and raw presentation made, “Desecration,” an extremely enjoyable listen. I welcome more bands like Concilium, because when done right and without all the over the top nonsense, you are given an extremely profound sounding listening experience. There is substance, which I find to be lacking in most modern music that tends to cause people to become mindless sheep. Put on some Concilium and they will awaken to a vivid reality of unholy desecration and ruthless sounding destruction! 

Listen to "From the Chalice" below: 

Sentient Ruin Bandcamp (Album comes out July 2, 2021):

https://sentientruin.bandcamp.com/album/desecration

Voreus "The Proclamation"

 

    The German black/death metal band, Voreus, opens the cursed gateways into a horrendous world of unfathomable nightmares with the release of their new mini album, “The Proclamation.” Sentient Ruin Laboratories will be responsible for putting out this blasphemous offering of extreme sounding chaos and in the process adding to an already monumental year for the label. 

    Voreus definitely fits the criteria for a band that one would expect to be associated with Sentient Ruin. The band’s punishing onslaught of blackened death metal is not to be diminished, even though this style of extreme metal has been done before by countless bands. I think one way for bands to break away from the mundane and repetitive stereotype is to focus on constructing compelling atmospheres. Also, you should have strong execution from start to finish when pertaining to production value. If your creative vision is to present listeners with a realm of abysmal sounding landscapes filled with abominable brutality, then don’t construct some lack luster arrangements that sound as if they were hastily written while on the toilet. 

    My belief is that you should always stay committed to the vision and let the music flow with a merciless synergy. For the most part I would say Voreus does that throughout the album and the tight sounding compositions shrouded in a blanket of starless darkness definitely strengthens the overall listening experience. The opening track, “Trisagion,” for example instantly grabbed my attention with its haunting chants that sound like they were coming from a forbidden temple. As the terrifying hymns fade away the band launches into a blackened death bludgeoning with the song, “Progeny of Fire.” There are plenty of fiendish sounding drum parts that send cataclysmic shockwaves throughout the musical landscape. The tormenting style of guitar work provides a profound sinister element as well to accompany the deafening sounds of infernal destruction. 

    On the next track, “Portals to the Dark Realm,” the vocalist begins with a gruesome death growl that echoes over the hateful sounding instrumental compositions. I find the guitar riffs to be extremely mesmerizing and even though they are not overly technical works of pointless shredding nonsense, the presentation of the riffs and unconventional lead parts inject a tremendous amount of vile energy into the overall presentation. 

    You also hear that same approach on the next two songs, “The Proclamation” and “Descending Into the Infernal Abyss.” I thought, “Descending Into the Infernal Abyss,” was probably one of the most dynamic and well written pieces of music off of the album. The song starts off blazing fast, but then all of a sudden the tempo dramatically slows down and this ominous chanting begins to slowly creep into the mix. As the song marches on towards the end you begin to feel as though you are being dragged down into the sulfuric world of infinite damnation. 

    In the end, “The Proclamation,” is a solid sounding extreme metal release and I think Voreus is band that should not be dismissed. Although the style of music is nothing new to the world of extreme music, I strongly believe the execution makes this an album definitely worth checking out. Anytime a band can successfully take you on a joyride into hideous sounding realms where demonic entities feast upon the carcasses of innocent souls, then you know this is an album that you do not want to pass up! 

Check out the song "The Proclamation" below (Album comes out December 4th):

Voreus Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/Voreus-768749019818399

Sentient Ruin Website:

http://sentientruin.com/main