The Pitch: Extreme technical death metal from British Columbia duo Gomorrah feat. Hannes Grossmann (Alkaloid, ex-Obscura, etc.) on drums and newly signed to Willowtip Records. FFO: Belphegor with a more technical flair
What I Like: I thought that name sounded familiar. I actually reviewed Gomorrah's, The Haruspex, back in 2016. In addition to the very eye catching Full Of Hell-esque cover art, I appreciated their overall intensity and deeply oppressive atmosphere. This latest self-titled effort finds the band doubling down on that focus. While Gomorrah self-identifies as a technical death metal band, the moments of flashy instrumentation always seem to come second to the blackened aesthetic and overall bleak mood. In this way, right down to the brutal vocals, the album often feels more akin to the likes of Belphegor than say Equipoise or even Dying Fetus. A much more technically proficient version of Belphegor, mind you, but possessing similar qualities nonetheless. There's this very grandiose air of sacrilege to the compositions and artwork that draws my mind more readily to Conjuring The Dead or even Behemoth's The Satanist. Of course it doesn't hurt when tracks like "Frailty" also feature some seriously maniacal blastbeat breaks.
Critiques: I still feel as if something is missing. The compositions, despite some differentiating standout moments, often come off as a bit samey. Furthermore, I just don't feel any great connection with them on the whole. Maybe a little more vocal variation or increased dynamic range? I'm having trouble giving truly constuctive feedback on this one as I just can't quite put my finger on the problem.
The Verdict: Ultimately, Gomorrah is a pleasantly dark and bitter album that should please many. My ambiguous personal qualms aside, I'd even venture to say that its a stronger album than many of Belphegor's due to both it's instrumentation and overall consistency. You can purchase and stream the album right now, and the band is already working on new material in the near future via Willowtip.
Flight's Fav's: Frailty, Predatory Reich, Of Ghosts and the Grave
- Review by FlightOfIcarus
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