Another hit for Carbon Tomb!
After releasing just one EP in 2023, the year they formed, Jeppe Tander (bass/vocals, Urkraft), Richardt Olsen (guitar/vocals, Dysgnostic, Imperious Mortality, Wrath of Belial), and Mikael Skou Jørgensen (drums, Urkraft, ex-Saturnus) have signed with Transcending Obscurity Records for the release of their debut album, Passage to a Neutron Star.
Chanting Spells that the Resurrected Will Scant on Technöfössil Fragmentations greets us with a rather unsettling melody, but the raw aggression soon hits us with full force, blending blast beats, screams, and fast riffs into a thick mix that also allows for a dissonant edge. The track is fairly short, and we quickly move on to Hidden Creature, which offers a similar approach, adding chaotic yet controlled leads to an abrasive foundation that doesn’t hesitate to slow down and become heavy, even incorporating desperate backing vocals before transitioning to From the Giant’s Snout, a track that feels both more accessible and more complex. The sound is slightly more melodic, but listeners will notice the intricate patterns responsible for this hypnotic atmosphere before returning to darkness and oppression on The Dog Hunter, which features catchy, groovy touches like piercing, menacing leads as the vocals grow increasingly heart-wrenching. Of God’s Neglect picks up where the previous track left off, offering dark, heavy sounds that stretch throughout this lengthy composition and its haunting choruses, before plunging back into pure violence on Gogoffmagog, a track that lasts no more than two minutes but doesn’t hesitate to trample us relentlessly at varying paces. Another majestic explosion comes with Tritons of Ichthyology, a track divided between powerful, deliberately aggressive sections and moments of almost agonizing limbo, then Reversed Head Renewal takes up the torch, showering us with jagged riffs while occasionally giving them a haunting touch. The track is just as capable of sounding ethereal as it is intoxicating when the haunting harmonics kick in, but it is ultimately the eponymous title track, Passage to a Neutron Star, that closes out the album, remaining rooted in its usual duality to continue tormenting our minds with waves of dark rage right up until the very end.
Carbon Tomb’s sound has evolved significantly since their debut release, and Passage to a Neutron Star holds its own against much older bands in the genre! Its heavy, polished riffs guarantee an excellent listening experience.
90/100
