The Pitch: "Stygian Obsession traverse their subterranean realms of dark brutality through savage speedy passages and slow, haunting doom with equal facility, utterly engulfing the listener in apocalyptic foreboding." Via Pacific Threnodies. FFO: Abyssal, Adversarial, Beithioch
What I Like: Form is Void is a groove-ridden, bit of atmospheric death metal. The guitars and vocals sound grimy, surrounding the listener in a mildewy fog. It's a dank pool of tepid filth. But my personal favorite aspect of Stygian Obsession's music comes in the drumming. The muddy bass and sharp snare drop some serious blasts and builds a la Adversarial, adding much needed texturing to the compositions. I'm particularly fond of the cascading eruption about midway through "Ceremonial Rites of the Abyss." The sudden shift in pace is set up perfectly by the ambient interlude that precedes it.
Critiques: This band has a lot of promise, but as it stands this release feels like an off-brand version of more accomplished groups. The songwriting could be a lot stronger with tracks like "Vomit Empyral" feeling repetetive and even a little dull. Tightening up structuring, crafting more interesting riffs, and improving production would all help these guys reach a higher tier.
The Verdict: Stygian Obsession have a clear passion for death metal, and their latest release is testament to that. If you like any of the groups above, you'll likely enjoy this release even if it falls short of their more accomplished peers. Give it a listen below.
Flight's Fav's: Gasping In Nausea In The Throes of Void, Ceremonial Rites of the Abyss, All That Are In The Graves Shall Hear His Voice
-Review by FlightOfIcarus
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