Album review: Lykhaeon - Opprobrium (2021)

Lykhaeon - Opprobrium

 

Switzerland

 

Repose Records

Lykhaeon’s second opus "Opprobrium" is a decidedly coherent affair of bleak black/death/doom with many quality aspects to it. A very thick atmosphere drenched in gloom pervade this record, including the infusion of eerie horror soundscapes redolent of being in the midst of some profane ritual. Black metal sensibilities are omnipresent, as the music draws you into the darkest corridors of the abyss. This isn’t so much an avant-garde experience, as the band retains a sense of barbarism that flirts with more ritualistic nuances. The superlative and dense production really accentuates every detail on this record, which makes everything more digestible. “Opprobrium” is a commendable work of transcendental black/death art and comes highly recommended for those into bands like Teitanblood, Cultes des Ghoules, Necros Christos, et cetera.

Demo review: Supayniyux - Aniquilacion de Cristo (2021 Re-release)

Supayniyux - Aniquilacion de Cristo

Ecuador / Switzerland

From Deepest Records

Supayniyux is an Ecuadorian/Swiss black metal band and “Aniquilacion de Cristo” is their demo from 2014 recently re-released on CD format by From Deepest Records.

The music on this demo unfolds over a duration of 27 minutes spanning 5 tracks of over-the-top aural violence. Imagine a mix between bands like Nyogthaeblisz, Svartsyn and Sarcofago – that’s more or less what Supayniyux sounds like. The vocals are ultra abrasive, agonized screams drenched in a crescendo of hellish noise. A barrage of hyper-charged riffs bombard the listener at every turn, constructed of basic chord progressions and melodic sensibilities that mesh well with the all-out chaos. The sound on this demo is undoubtedly raw, but not so much to the point where it detracts from the overall quality of the songs, since one is able to follow the riffs and drums, regardless of the heavy layer of distortion that encompass this demo. This whole release embodies a sense of urgency and rage, which is perfectly captured in its apocalyptic fury.

Favourite tracks:

Era de Semen y Sangre

Muriendo En El Horizonte

Overall, this is raw and chaotic black metal done right and a killer demo to boot. Supayniyux is pure black metal madness for black metal fans pure. Recommended! (HT)