It’s time for Thecodontion and Ceremented to join forces.
Between the Italian outfit and the American band, there are several common points: their creation happened in 2016, but both especially have the particularity of not having any guitarist in their formation. Soberly titled Thecodontion & Ceremented, their split was released in 2023 by I, Voidhanger Records.
Thecodontion is the first to attack with Trilobite, a track with a rather raw sound, but which reveals worked and majestic patterns, coupled with raucous vocal parts. Enchanting melodies create an interesting contrast with these aggressive elements topped by keyboards which lead us to Hallucigenia, a slower but also more heavy, even more primitive composition. The atmosphere also knows how to make room for soaring harmonics, as well as piercing and heady lead parts interspersed with vocal interventions, before La Torre, the most surprising track of this split. While the band is known for their dark and heavy tones, this one is the opposite, revealing danceable sounds and catchy clean vocals. Disturbing, but surprisingly well managed by the musicians!
Let’s move on to the Ceremented part, which starts with Kontinuum, a short introductory instrumental track which gradually takes us into the darkness before letting Ultra Mystischizmatic Terrors crush us with an extremely saturated and abrasive Old School sound. Drums borrow from Brutal Death while screams are focused on unhealthy and cavernous Death/Doom, just like on Timeworn Furtherance and its pachydermic slowness. We will finally have a slightly more energetic blast leading the solid rhythmic to Disease.Death.Kontrol (Contravene of Death’s Hand), a much longer composition which lets growls appear on a heavy basis which slowly progresses to become more and more emaciated and which will finally die in noisy sounds.
While Thecodontion and Ceremented share their absence of guitars, it is obvious that their style differs. While Thecodontion focuses on heady melodies, Ceremented sinks into darkness, making Thecodontion & Ceremented a very varied split.
75/100