Rotten Cavern is a new band from the Catalonia region of Spain, formed by a duo that is also found in the equally great Siegehammer. However, their shared love for muddy and bellowing Death/Doom Metal also brought them together here to explore that musical course as well. The result is this 5-track demo (including an intro and outro) with a total playing time of almost 26 minutes.
When it comes to Death/Doom Metal I am quite pick: I don’t like Asphyx and I am not much into the Autopsy-ridden walls-of-sound sort of “cavernous” bands that try to market themselves as “Death/Doom Metal”. That leaves not all too much to satisfy me with, but frankly, Rotten Cavern – despite having “Cavern” in the band name – does the trick for me.
The band knows how to properly crank out some devastating riffs and combine it with eerily sinister melodies and an overall sluggish trot – it even creeps up to a genuine Funeral Doom-like pace. The dynamics as purveyed in the variety of tempo keeps this demo sounding fresh; while the majority of the music is rather slow and dragging, you are treated on a few furious outbursts of violence, knocking you right off your feet. The thunderous and low growl are the icing to the cake, making ‘Profound’ a truly great exercise in lethargic Death/Doom Metal, without having an emphasis on either the Death Metal or Doom Metal part.
These five tracks were first digitally released by the band but was quickly picked up by Profaner Records that decided to put it out on classic cassette tape. So those who are into the murky and gurgling sort of Death/Doom Metal now know where to go to get yourself a copy of this excellent demo.
