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.
