Altars Ablaze announces its debut album.
Formed in 2020 in the Czech Republic, the band consisting of Michal Kusák (vocals), Tomás Halama (guitar), Frank Serák (guitar), Pavel Satra (bass) and Peter Hetes (drums) will release Life Desacration in 2022 through Lavadome Productions.
For the Lifeless Love of a Crucified Corpse begins the album with a fast and uncompromising Death Metal which cheerfully picks from massive Old School sounds, but also from a very raw approach. Screams perfectly blend with this wave of violence, as well as this abrasive saturation we find on Life Desecration, a slower and oppressive track. The track will also unveil a solid groove and more original oriental sounds on the last moshpart, just before it slowly drives us to the short Shrine Destroyer, a kind of straightforward and uncontrollable wave of strength. Thrash influences join the aggressive and catchy sound, which will slow down to a headbanging pace, then speed up again before Across the Empires of Death comes to crush us. A few hints of technicality are felt in the explosive mixture, which will become again very dissonant with Drenched in Wrath and Blood, which will let its rage ignite by accelerating the tempo. We will find a more airy part, framed by the fast riffs and visceral screams, then With Bone Crowns and Iron Scepters will reveal us a very catchy and groovy rhythmic. The massive vocal parts continue to accompany the frantic and worked riffs, while Beneath the Smouldering Ruins develops more impressive but always effective elements. The track is quite short, but it doesn’t spare itself to display all its strength before Glorification of Rats, the longest track, comes to close the album with equally violent elements, but sometimes accompanied by wild leads which will be able to get out of this crushing basis.
Altars Ablaze’s keyword is raw violence, expressed by as aggressive as straightforward riffs. Old School influences are undeniable, making Life Desacration a fast album with frantic and sharp riffs which should not be missed under any circumstances.
90/100