So you really like Portal, but you either need more or want something a little more straight-forward? I got this. Hellish death vocals from the abyss? Check. Blackened take on technical death metal? Check. Soul-sucking atmosphere? Double check. Just unravel those snake-like compositions and crank up the bpm and you’ve got yourself Vacivus. Taken straight from their bandcamp page, Rite of Ascension is “5 tracks dealing with Occult, Death & Transcendence.”
Now aside from the typical expectations you’re meeting in these 25 minutes: Vaderish tremolo lines, pounding double bass, rumbly bass guitar, etc; you are getting some bonus stuff as well. Most notably, solos. Not mind-warping guitar string screeching, but actual, honest-to-beelzebub solos. Just check out my personal favorite, the title track, or the opening to “Ageless, Nameless.” It’s a little Kerry King, but also stretches into classical territory at times. The production is also noticeably more raw. The bass drum has that same insane cardboard kick sound as the classic Under the Sign of Hell.
But gun to my head, I think my favorite thing here is the vocals. I am just such a sucker for this style. It’s like death himself sermonizing from the beyond the ether. This is appropriate considering that Vacivus was described to me as “the pinnacle of worship at the temple of void.” The cadence of each growl is fastidious in nature, much like you would expect from a slick-talking televangelist. Though somehow I don’t think this guy is trying to sell God.
All said and done, this is some good stuff. The album is streamable below and can also be purchased for 4 GBP (about $6.50). The more initiated can pick up one of the limited 100 copies of the cassette that has been “issued on a special Noir 'Black' Void Shell & inked with the blood of their enemies” for the same price plus shipping. Is William Murderface in this band?