Intensity is what Piacenza, Italy-based Descent Into Maelstrom bring, an extreme version of atmospheric and post black/death metal. The quartet explore decadence and dissonance on their new album Iconoclasm which was released on October 28, 2019.
The eight tracks that make up Iconoclams are a mixture of excessive extreme heaviness and sinister atmosphere. From the moment “The Misanthrope” kicks things off to the moment “The Portal of the Elsewhere” ends things, Iconoclasm is 40 minutes of twisted and complex rhythm, savage riffing and gratifyingly dark ambience.
It flies by in a blur of noise that comes so thick and fast that taking it all in on first listen is near impossible. Descent Into Maelstrom have structured their music with rhythm in mind and with just a splash of groove. Unlike many other bands in this genre Descent Into Maelstrom are way more focused on the ‘metal’ side of things. The ambient sounds and effects can often disappear into the crushing assault of heaviness.
Hardly a problem though as this is an album that delivers such a fantastic vortex of intense riffs, clever twists and exciting builds. The perfect length, Iconoclasm will take a couple of listens to fully appreciate but it’s well worth it!
Post a Comment