The Ever Shifting Path

The Pitch: Black and death metal EP from Spain that delivers "a sempiternal path of instrospection and refletions that revolves around nihilism, conscience and death" via BlackSeed Productions. FFO Ævangelist, Mephorash, Schammasch

What I Like: Great overall sound on these four tracks.  The production is as vast as the darkest depths of hell.  Each blackened death howl seems to echo into eternity.  And then there's the guitars, which rake the skin from your skull from the moment you press play.  Something is so ominous about the choices of melody, but also the uncanny union of dissonance with earworm black metal hooks.  Each composition has its own unique identity and memorable little quirks (like the little guitar squelches on "Prision of Shattered Glass."  Most of all, Aversio Humanitatus pull off a remarkable songwriting feat: they can make a 6 minute track sound just as concise as one half its length.  These guys don't waste a second of airtime.  Every moment is slightly different from the last, and not a single riff or movement overstays its welcome.

What I Don't Like: "The Ever Shifting Path" isn't quite as strong as the other three songs, but it's not really weak either.  Its slower pace also adds to the overall flow of the album, so it's a really minor critique.

The Verdict: An astonishing feat of blackened death metal performed by a group wise beyond their years.  Few bands cover this much ground in twice the time, and even fewer manage to do so in such a succinct manner.

Flight's Fav's: Longing For The Untold, Prision of Shattered Glass