Psycroptic is back in action.
Still led by Joe Haley (guitar, Ruins, Abramelin, Domination Campaign), David Haley (drums, Abramelin, Ruins, The Amenta, Werewolves, Faustian), Jason Peppiatt (vocals, Domination Campaign), and Todd Stern (bass, Hammer Fight, ex-Tombs), the Australian band has signed with Metal Blade Records for the release of its ninth album, The Pulse of Annihilation.
The band’s live vocalist, Jason Keyser (Origin, ex-Skinless…), also contributes to some of the vocal parts.
Ashes of a New Dawn is the first track to make an impact, starting with a fairly simple and melodious intro that gradually builds in intensity, then suddenly erupts into a burst of violence and technical prowess that’s a pleasure to listen to, though it doesn’t hesitate to ease up from time to time, allowing the band to ramp things up again. The band picks up the pace again for Gathering a Venomous Herd, the next track, which is so catchy it absolutely must be included on the band’s upcoming setlists; here again, the occasional pauses heighten the intensity of the build-ups before we’re granted a moment of respite during the acoustic intro to A Sword of Me, a rather epic composition featuring furious vocal alternations. The rhythm section isn’t to be outdone either, combining technical prowess and ferocity at every turn while a few keyboards enhance the whole thing; then, with No Time for the Weak, the band really stomps on us as the vocalists roar in unison over the devastating riffs. Note the very choppy approach from the bass and guitar as the blast beats rage on, then the lengthy Our Pillars Fall begins with a rather ominous and mystical tone, which the musicians follow up with the same fury as before, even offering a few moments of stinging groove or moments of sheer majesty. The sound fades gently, then gives way to Annihilation Pulse, the eponymous track where rage and ferocity are the watchwords, guiding the musicians through every note, every scream, and every beat, propelling us into the equally violent No Blade of Grass, which immediately takes over and offers ethereal orchestrations to accompany the onslaught of musical complexity. The experience is more or less the same for To Embrace This Curse, which follows with unapologetic technicality and breathless patterns at a brisk pace; then the album enters its final phase with Forging the Crown, whose mysterious intro forces us to catch our breath, but the wave of violence soon takes over again to hammer us one last time between two slightly calmer passages.
Psycroptic’s albums are always of excellent quality, and once again I had a great time listening to The Pulse of Annihilation! The band stays true to its technical roots but tends to offer a sound that’s sometimes a bit rawer, emphasizing both extremes.
95/100