Engulf celebrates the release of his debut album.
After three EPs released on Everlasting Spew Records, American musician Hal Microutsicos (vocals/instruments, Blasphemous) continues his partnership with the label to unveil the 2024 release The Dying Planet Weeps.
He was helped by Giacomo Gastaldi (bass, Bloodshot Dawn, Darkend, ex-Aran Angmar…) for recording.
Withered Suns Collapse, the first track, first reveals ominous sounds before letting the rhythm explode to create massive complex riffs. The vocal parts sticks the principle of assumed brutality despite a few more Prog-oriented passages thanks to airy and dissonant sounds, then Bellows From The Aether continues in this worked and contrasted approach thanks to jerky patterns that don’t seem to leave us any respite in the company of Kevin Muller (Alluvial). The track is relatively short, and leads into The Nefarious Hive, which plays first with speed and then with a catchy groove that complements the heaviness before welcoming Sven de Caluwé (Aborted, Coffin Feeder, Fetal Blood Eagle) to create a wilder touch. The final only frees us to let Ominous Grandeur hypnotize us, then frantically trample us thanks to a strong drum presence that invades even the most soaring and thoughtful passages. The musician returns to anguished tones with the introduction of Lunar Scourge, which is quickly erased to allow the energetic riffs to strike before screams resurface to accompany them, then Patrick (Construct of Lethe, Near Death Condition) lends a hand on Plagued Oblivion, creating unexpected sounds in this block of rage. Chris Kelly (Alustrium, Babymetal’s Kamiband, ex-Galactic Empire) and Enrico « Hater » (Hideous Divinity, Eyeconoclast) join Earthbore, the longest track on the album, which also happens to be the most diverse: violence remains the basis of everything, but is very often adorned with heady polished melodies to express itself fully before giving way to The Dying Planet Weeps, the eponymous track and melancholic outro of this album which gradually fades away.
Engulf finds its place between complexity and jerky riffs. Every note is designed to serve the power of The Dying Planet Weeps, a rich but relatively hard access album.
80/100