Proscriptor McGovern’s Apsu awakes from the burning ashes of Absu.
In 2020 the american band brokes because of legal disputes over the rights to the band name, but Russley Randell “Proscriptor McGovern” Givens (drums/vocals, Proscriptor, Equimanthorn, ex-Melechesh) takes up the torch in company of Ezezû (bass, ex-Absu, ex-Panzram), Daniel “Vaggreaz” Gonzalez (guitar, Possessed, Gruesome) and Vorskaath (keyboards/mellotron, Agatus, ex-Varathron…).
Notice there are also leads from Ross “the Boss” Friedman (Ross the Boss, ex-Manowar), Rune Eriksen (Aura Noir, Vltimas, ex-Mayhem), Alex Colin-Tocquaine (Agressor, ex-Loudblast) and The Dark (Agatus, ex-Kawir).
We begin with the chaotic introduction of Amenta: Accelerando: Azyn Including Hierophantasmal Expounder, the first composition. Whether progression is makes into rage, a mystical voice comes to cut the dynamic and crush us with a very Old School sound, which immediately reassures us over the musical direction. Esoterically Excoriating the Exoteric also confirms that the piercing Black/Thrash melted to those mystical influences is extremely effective, taking advantage of the contrast between an abrasive sound and a weighing ambience, then Quasaric Pestilence unveils hooking tones. Leads alight on a quite joyful basis which is bludgeoned by uninterrupted blast and vicious howlings, while Mirroracles immediately unveils an unhealthy and dirty sound. Riffs seem to be unstoppable, even if piercing harmonics regularly come to complete vocals, like psychedelic inspiration which come to us on In-Betweeness Gateway Commuters. We have some soaring dissonance, but also a burning rage, which comes over aggressiveness with sharp melodies, then the very short Jupiter in Capricornus falls upon us. Less than two minutes of fast-paced and trenchant riffs, which let place to Dedicated to Thoth, But Azathoth Wasn’t Listening (A Necroloquy). Whether the raw basis is still present, the morbid energy is not aside, with all those regular accelerations which contrast the suffocating and worrying ambience, just like Caliginous Whorl and its martial tones. Riffs chain each other into blackness while allowing a space for epic leads before The Coagulating Respite comes to surprise us with an insane scream. The rest of the song is obviously very focused on Thrash Metal’s raw strength, while Prana: Therion: Akasha focuses on Black Metal’s soaring melodies. Mystical leads are heady, and they will surface again into the majestic ambience of Tantrums of Azag-Kkû, the next song, accompanied by keyboards and some piercing backing vocals. The album ends with Every Watchtower Within Is the Axis of a Watchtower Without Including Totemic Thresholds, a quite long sont which melts in a first time the band’s raw basis with a weighing and mystical ambience, then the sound fades away before letting place to a second darker part which develops a ghostly, nearly surreal atmosphere, to eventually ends.
Even if its name slightly changed, Proscriptor McGovern’s Apsu is far from being dead. The sound basis is still anchored into a visceral and raw Black/Thrash, dyed with mystical ambiences, making Proscriptor McGovern’s Apsu an album which is perfectly enshrined into the creator’s art.
90/100