Denmark’s thriving Death Metal scene has spawned many a great band, the majority of them following a rather similar path of (sometimes Grindcore-fuelled) gory Death Metal with down-tuned guitars and guttural growls. The most variety is found in the degree of technicality among the bands. Although Strychnos is an integral part of that Danish Death Metal scene, with its three current members having experience in bands like Undergang, Usipian, Cerekloth and Corpus Mortale, this specific entity has a considerable different musical DNA. Admittedly, the band’s earlier steps into the world had a more distinctly standard Death Metal sound to offer, but especially with 2022’s ‘A Mother’s Curse’ the band showed a far more diverse and fresh side. And, frankly, on the recently released ‘Armageddon Patronage’ the band pushed their boundaries even further, incorporating many elements from other genres into what definitely is an adventurous record.
For one, Strychnos is definitely pushing their musical views more towards a Black Metal landscape – maybe not so much in the traditional sense, but obviously in terms of feel and ambiance. There is not much of conservative or old school Death Metal riffing going on here, but in turn we get a record that has a lot to offer from both genres, in pretty much a perfect blend. Yet, at the same time it is also clear that ‘Armageddon Patronage’ is not a record that would suit everybody’s set of taste parameters.
That the album is not the easiest one to get into might be an understatement. At least, to fully grasp its meaning more than the usual few spins is required. The three guys lead you past many unexpected twists and turns. On this mind-bending journey you’ll face some beautifully crafted semi-acoustic melodies, lots of bombastic fuss, doomy passages and clean vocals as well as more typical fast drums, growls and shrieking vocals. Everyone who is up for a bit of a surprise and do not mind their metal to sound not directly traceable to anything easily identifiable. For drawing musical parallels is, indeed, no easy task. As far as I am concerned, the only band that comes close to what Strychnos brings to the table here is Germany’s Sulphur Aeon. Both bands show the same traits of not caring about musical maxims or other unwritten laws, instead letting their creative nature guide them. The technical skill of the musicians involved is also a logical comparison, as the performance here is also outstanding. But, a big difference with the Germans, the final product, this latest album, constitutes a much more listenable and overall enjoyable result. Another fairly obvious musical comparison is with Behemoth, as they have emerged on the last two or three albums: with grand riffs, roaring vocals and a great sense of theatre and drama.
That this Danish trio would pull out their creative stops a bit further on ‘Armageddon Patronage’ was not a complete surprise given the initial incitements on ‘A Mother’s Curse’. Still, one may speak of a pleasant surprise, because despite all the disconnected jigsaw pieces, which seemingly have nothing to do with each other, eventually fit together seamlessly. There is even room for a guest appearance by Volbeat’s Michael Poulsen. If you are in for an interesting mix between unconventional Black and Death Metal, you could do yourself a favour by giving this album a chance. So, no, Strychnos is not your typical Danish Death Metal band, at least not anymore, and it is only to be expected that they will alienate themselves even further from the norm.
Strychnos
- Country: Denmark
- Style: Black Metal, Death Metal
- Links: Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp
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Dark Descent Records
- Country: USA
- Style: Black Metal, Death Metal
- Links: Homepage, Facebook, Instagram, Bandcamp, Youtube
