Devangelic is back in business.
Formed in 2012 in Italy, the band led by Mario Di Giambattista (guitar, Vulvectomy, Corpsefucking Art) and Paolo Chiti (vocals, Antropofagus, Esophageal, Interminable Corruptions, ex-Putridity), complemented by Marco Coghe (drums, Posthuman Abomination, Vulvectomy, Catastrophic Evolution) and Alessio Pacifici (bass, Dr. Gore) announces the release of Xul, their fourth album, through Willowtip Records.
The album starts with Scribes of Xul, which will introduce the mystical elements before letting the Brutal Death basis express itself at full speed, coupling massive riffs, cavernous screams and blast. Oriental inspirations can be found in heady and occult leads, but also in majestic and heavy break which comes before the last part, leading us to Which Shall Be The Darkness Of The Heretic and its raw rage. Vocal parts slightly diversify, offering an omnipresent violence while musicians ensure a solid and extremely aggressive Old School rhythmic, which will let Udug-Hul Incantation reveal dark sounds before violence is expressed. The track remains quite rhythmic while playing with suffocating ambient sounds that we will find in a more soothing tone on Famine Of Nineveh, a mysterious oriental interlude. Quietness will be crushed by Sirius Draconis Capricornus which quickly spreads its technical and extremely heavy riffs as well as its wild howls without forgetting the ambient elements, giving it its spiritual and impressive touch, then by Worship Of The Black Flames, and its icy introduction. The track is more vivid than the previous one, and it also offers darker and apocalyptic vocals while allowing the musicians to place complex parts before leading us to Ignominious Flesh Degradation and its explosive rage. The track is short but very rhythmic, letting powerful accelerations lead us to Hymn Of Savage Cannibalism, the album’s second interlude, which is certainly dark, but ironically very soothing and soaring. These haunting sounds guide us to Shadows Of The Iniquitous, a new wave of dark and devastating hatred which plays on the contrast between fast parts and heavy sounds before Sa Belet Ersetim Ki’Am Parsusa, the last song, wraps us in haunting sonorities before trampling us with a raw sound, helped by jerky and sometimes complex patterns.
Devangelic perfectly combines mystical occult sounds with devastating Brutal Death. If you like rage, but also darkness, Xul will be a perfect companion which will mesmerize you before crushing you under its solid riffs.
90/100