DeathEpoch – Legalize Satanic Murder

Five years after their debut album ‘Abysmal Invocation’, Death Epoch return with ‘Legalize Satanic Murder’. The Lord K. and his henchman Morgul are still alive.

Death Epoch is a Polish Black/Death/Doom Metal project formed in 2020. The band remains active and operates under the Putrid Cult label, focusing on a raw, underground production and weird compositions. Death Epoch blends Black Metal’s cold tremolo riffing with Death Metal’s brutality, resulting in a lo-fi yet punishing sound. Official lyrical themes haven’t been disclosed, but the project’s imagery and naming suggest occult and anti-religious motifs. All Death Epoch material is issued through the Polish Putrid Cult, a DIY underground label managed by Morgul.

The post-apocalyptic atmosphere of the debut has been discarded for a more disturbing urban psychological soundscape: menacing techno/industrial rhythms, bizarre and chopping Doom riffs and a muted downtuned voice now make part of the sound. I have to admit that everything is well-crafted and scrupulously composed – disturbing screams, the sound of chainsaws, etherial choirs, spoken passages – it all fits together. The Industrial edge provides an alienating, frightening dimension to the music. Is Industrial metal making a comeback?

The album consists of ‘Murder Nos. 1 to 7’ – each highlighting the aspect of committing a satanic murder. It does remind of The Berzerker, Brutal Truth, some Brujeria or Fear Factory, be it more primitive. Personally, I dig this kind of streamlined cacophony. I’d say: people who are into extreme Indusrial infected vile Black Metal with filthy Grindcore influences need to check out the second Death Epoch. It’s pretty disturbed.