Fögbötler’s second release.
Titled Disembowelment Ritual, it took T. Petrocelly (guitar/bass, Construct of Lethe, Near Death Condition) and D. Schmidt (drums/vocals, ex-Construct of Lethe) a year to complete.
The album opens with the menacing sound of Faustbötler, an introductory track that, in less than a minute, immediately plunges us into an icy darkness in three successive waves, then gives way to Disembowelment Ritual, the eponymous title track where we find the heavy sound accompanied by the sinister growls that complement it perfectly, leaving no doubt as to the duo’s inspirations. The vocals become more plaintive during an unsettling passage, then pick up speed again before transitioning into Incineratio Ecstasis, a track with a more martial feel, offering a catchy, jerky rhythm while allowing hypnotic harmonics to occasionally capture our attention as our heads start bobbing on their own. The track is quite long and occasionally shifts in atmosphere, just like the next one, Lamentation Screed, which begins with a fairly soft, clear sound before igniting and plunging us into a gripping despair that pervades its riffs, which grow increasingly dissonant before abruptly stopping. Une Alchimie de la Chair offers us a moment of refined calm before launching at a brisk pace into My Eyes at the Moment of Ascension, a new block of darkness with old-school roots that start out heavy but become far more virulent, particularly during the final infernal blaze. The band follows up with The Masochistic Processional, a track with a rather cold, intoxicating atmosphere, though its leads offer interesting melodic touches that contrast with the rawer elements; then the duo slows down considerably on The Destruction of Boaz and Jachin, even indulging in smoky doom-metal undertones. This track is quite different from the others, but it captivates with its desolate atmosphere, even allowing the finale to give us a moment to catch our breath before Sacrament takes its place, closing out the album with a wilder touch, though one that is also occasionally contrasted by soaring harmonics that infuse the track with a distinct energy.
While Fögbötler knows his classics, he doesn’t simply regurgitate them mindlessly; instead, on Disembowelment Ritual, he offers an intoxicating take on darkness—at times brutal, at times icy, but always visceral and diverse.
80/100