New Lovecraftian adventure from Puteraeon.
After a new EP last year, Jonas Lindblood (guitar/vocals, ex-Thorium), Rune Foss (guitar/vocals, Pagandom), Daniel Vandija (bass) and Anders “Hammer of Gs” Malmström (drums, ex-Nominon) now offer us their fifth album, Mountains Of Madness, via Emanzipation Productions.
Miskatonic Expedition gets us off to a worrying start, with its heavy opening riffs complemented by dissonant leads, but it’s not long before the band’s sound becomes more energetic with some catchy patterns. Just before moving on to The Land of Cold Eternal Winter, the vocalist introduces us to the album’s concept, followed by aggressive howls that perfectly match the darkness of the new rhythm section. A touch of mystery pervades the ghostly harmonics, which eventually turn into frenetic riffs supported by a raging blast on Remnants, one of the most virulent tracks on this album, which doesn’t forget to include some mystical passages to complete its rage. The final burst of acceleration unleashes Horror on the Antarctic Plateau, which quickly proves to be just as ferocious as its predecessor, displaying unfailing aggression even during the slowest passages, before turning very scary with the final sardonic laugh. We continue at an upbeat pace on The Nameless City, but vocals become more ethereal before an intricate and particularly melodious solo, finally letting the violence lead us into Gods of Unhallowed Space where a hazy piano welcomes us, quickly followed by a thick rhythm section. Jonas’ howls are accompanied by Rune‘s macabre backing vocals, creating a particularly menacing duet before the final quietude that joins The Rise of the Shoggoths, which focuses on effective Old School patterns while changing rhythm and placing regular vocal interventions and sinister samples. Watchers at the Abyss follows first with fury, then with hypnotic guitars and finally more complex touches, but I am the Darkness delivers the coup de grâce with occult melodies, and above all that catchy chorus that I suspect will become the band’s next anthem.
Puteraeon are back with some dark new creations on Mountains of Madness, whose Lovecraft influence is omnipresent. Their dark eerie touches perfectly blend with explosive Swedish Death Metal!
90/100