Qrixkuor’s progression over the last four years has been incredible to watch, as while the UK based death metal band started off as your typical cavernous sounding band with lots of dense layers, over time they have evolved into something that pushed the boundaries of the genre outwards. 2021’s Poison Palinopsia had a long incubation period, coming in a good five years after its predecessor, but its two lengthy tracks showcased a level of detail and craft that set the material apart. This full length started to incorporate some orchestral elements, but it was 2022’s Zoetrope EP that fully wove them into the writing and created something both nightmarish and entrancing. Qrixkuor has further evolved this combination on their second full-length The Womb of the World, which embeds the orchestration so far into the songwriting that it feels like a deranged classical composition merged with elements of death and black metal. The density of the soundscapes and outward abrasiveness may make this an album that isn’t for everyone, but for those that enjoy tense, haunting atmosphere as well as metal that pushes beyond the usual constructs The Womb of the World will stand as one of the year’s best offerings.
After providing listeners with two lengthy tracks on Poison Palinopsia and then a single lengthy one on Zoetrope, Qrixkuor has broken things up a bit more this time around with four songs that run between eight and sixteen minutes. While the individual lengths may be a bit shorter, that doesn’t mean that they lack the same type of incredible build-ups and peaks, as founder S. has found ways to cram just as many details into these slightly shorter timespans. Opener “So Spoke the Silent Stars” showcases just how much power Qrixkuor can create with its instrumentation, initially offering haunting orchestral arrangements that quickly turn towards the sinister side as the death metal riffs and drums come roaring in. The way the two sides intertwine is incredible, as the orchestra and guitar, bass, and drums seem to feed off each other and only help to make everything more nightmarish and twisted. For fans of cavernous death metal, you still get much faster and weightier sections that are as punishing as anything else in the genre, but the way things ebb and flow reminds me of the peaks of classical music. At times it’s comparable to the type of genre bending Lychgate has done, but the core influences are a bit different and help Qrixkuor to retain a sound of its own. Sometimes it sounds like symphonic death metal or symphonic blackened death metal, but unlike the cheesier variants here the orchestra is as terrifying as the rest of the band. Each song offers a twisted and unexpected journey, reaching similar levels of suffocating atmosphere but getting there in different ways, and there are sections on each piece that stood out over repeat listens. Admittedly there is a barrier to entry, as the purposeful mixing/mastering work buries some of the details underneath the sheer wall of sound and you’ll have to not only crank the volume but spin the material a few times to really start to uncover everything. For my tastes that’s a positive though, as the denseness adds to the overall impact.
Tying back to the classical feel, “So Spoke the Silent Stars” introduces you to haunting male and female choral arrangements in its first minute or so rather than diving into the usual death metal growls. It’s an approach that works well and will likely draw listeners in with its sense of mystery, but once the harsher vocals come in things are as intense as anything else in the genre. As mentioned earlier, the denseness of the layers does bury some of the details and the growls are also one of these elements, as The Womb of the World isn’t as vocal forward as some of the other death metal out there. What this does is it makes it blend in as part of the instrumentation, allowing each growl and higher scream to add to the soundscape and enhance the nightmarish atmosphere. It’s an approach that I liked, though I’d be curious to hear if Qrixkuor ever shakes things up and emphasizes the vocals a bit more in the future. Also worth mentioning is the guest appearance of Adorior’s Jaded Lungs on “And You Shall Know Perdition As Your Shrine”, which makes sense given S. is also a member of that band. Jaded Lungs dominates a good amount of that song’s performance and for good reason, as not only do you get her trademark snarl but there are some downright scary sounding wails and shrieks.
Over their last two releases Qrixkuor has shown a mastery to their craft, offering cavernous death metal that has twists and turns that truly engage the listener in their harsh soundscapes. With album number two the band has pushed even further beyond the usual black and death metal sound, coming through like a deranged classical composer for the modern era. The orchestral elements define rather than distract from the arrangements, making for an album that will stick with listeners for a long time to come. With each release I’ve found myself wondering just how Qrixkuor will top it, and the bar only keeps getting raised. The Womb of the World is available from Dark Descent Records and Invictus Productions.
-Review by Chris Dahlberg