Nearly five years after its predecessor, ‘Sever Sacred Light’ finds Petrification refining rather than reinventing their craft. The Portland quintet still draws from Autopsy, Bolt Thrower and Incantation, while touches of Finnish Death Metal in the Demigod tradition surface throughout the album.
The riffs are plentiful and the atmosphere gloomy and foreboding. Some Doom-laden passages remain, though the band generally favours a more direct approach this time yet its carried by mid-paced riffs, murky melodies and a persistent sense of decay.
Not particularly great but easy to enjoy, and convincing enough for those who appreciate Old School Death Metal.
