Sarcoptes announces its return with a second album.
Formed in the United States in 2008, the band composed of Sean Zimmerman (guitar/bass/keyboards) and Garrett Garvey (drums/vocals), assisted by Bobby Koelble (guitar, Leviathan Project, ex-Death), continues its adventure with Transcending Obscurity Records for the release of Prayers to Oblivion.
The album opens with The Trenches, a long track letting some distant war sounds introduce a sharp Black/Thrash with sometimes majestic influences. Piercing screams perfectly blend with rage and orchestrations while letting the instrumental parts sow chaos with frantic, incisive and heady riffs but the sound will eventually slow down before the final charge which leads us to Spanish Flu, a shorter and also more straightforward composition which stays in the style’s roots. The band also keeps some orchestrations to create a contrast with its raw aggressiveness, but also some disturbing choirs, while Dead Silence progressively unveils all its darkness thanks to a solid and massive sound. Again, keyboard parts create a contrast with the raging and devastating instrumental, whether in fast or slower parts, then the sound gradually fades before Tet comes to bring his rage with a short aggressive song. The track never seems to slow down, even on this overdriven break with Old School Thrash influences, and even if there are a few slightly more accessible moments, the song rushes us to Massacre at My Lai, the last track, which remains in this quieter approach. Again, the band will reveal its vindictive rage via fast riffs, but also more melodic parts, notably thanks to its mystical orchestrations, while linking all the parts with an ungodly mastery until this throbbing final.
Between violence and majestic tones, Sarcoptes animates its dark rage thanks to riffs borrowed from wild Black/Thrash, but also with unexpected orchestrations, making Prayers to Oblivion a rich and interesting album.
80/100