Thorn is never far away.
Founded in 2020 in the USA by Brennen Westermeyer (Fluids, Paranoia Apparition), the project quickly released its first EP, and began a series of splits and albums. In 2023, he signed with Transcending Obscurity, announcing Evergloom, his third album.
The album kicks off with Spectral Realms of Ethereal Light, a relatively short but extremely saturated and oppressive track that lets howls pour out of us between dissonant elements, leading into Xenolith of Slime, some conglomerate of heavy screeching and crushing influences. The musician adds heavy vocal parts in the background to accentuate the raw strength, while sprinkling the mix with ominous leads as on Hypogean Crypt, where they take a more prominent place between the massive riffs. Chaos progresses between impressive parts and waves of vindictive blast before slowing down to let Gaze of the Seer emerge all at once, provoking the return of double kick as well as obscure atmospheric elements to intensify the aggressive Old School roots. The relatively gentler final allows us a moment’s respite, but Wastelands Dimly Lit quickly takes over to hammer us with its thick rhythm at a frantic pace. Even when the track slows down, it remains just as abrasive, and the same is true for the cold Phantom Noose, which blends noisy tones to its hoarse basis, complemented by a few mysterious leads before Sapien Death Spiral borrows from Grindcore to build its explosive aggression. Farron’s Covenant continues to feed on extreme-pushed saturation, whether in the fast parts or some slower, groovier passages, while Thanatos Basileos brings out a hint of melancholy thanks to a more soaring but just as dissonant introduction, accompanied by a voice in the background. Evergloom, the final track, draws on its darker roots to create a perfect balance between heaviness and ominous sounds, without neglecting the various howls that contribute to the horrific atmosphere.
Thorn exactly knows how to go about creating a heavy sound, letting saturation take over every nook and cranny of his riffs while giving Evergloom an obvious dark edge which will appeal to fans of darkness.
80/100
