Finnish band Apocryfal have released their debut album after two demos, and they have been traveling from bulldozing death metal towards darkness that is un-fucking-forgiving, even though the cover art might make one tink this is about sludge metal. So, it's simple a heck: Just read the title adding the word "metal" after "black" and "death", okay?

Apocryfal is an entity that won't let their listener feel merry, ease or relief. They don't do Swallow The Sun style. However, there are some mournful moments, like opening of the album, but mainly it is freaking oppressive and hellishly evil: It's not million miles away from more black-ish Immolation at times. There are also hymnic (or more like bastardization of such) or epic melody processions happening; 'The Mammoth's opening riff could be from "Conan the Barbarian" soundtrack. Still, this is mainly abhorrent as fuck; no soothing bits, no beauty. So, if you're looking for a mood-lifting music, then this is only going to rouse those negative feelings. With this I'm not telling, that this is somehow crap music, no. It's just not for everybody. While it is varying, music-wise, I think there could be some more spicings in it, because it can get samey during its 39 minutes.

The pace of the music varies from blast beating to funeral procession walk tempos; they can also happen simultaneously in a song. Talking about tempos, the drumming is quite imaginative and creative, with loads of small details and varying patterns almost all the time; the cymbals are in heavy use. The guitar work is rather amorphous. Heavy rhythms, including anything from wall-like power chords to fast riffing, to tremolo picking, cold-sounding leads and haunting open-stringed stuff that is more or less distorted. 'Kirkonväki' ("church people) is one of the peaks of sinister facet of the album, amplified with eerie church bells. The bass guitar resonates in low frequencies, keeping it heavy even during the parts with less distorted guitars.

The vocals are bestial, fluctuating from bear-like growling to really low gutturals, and more high-pitched incantations. The lyrics are fifty-fifty in English and Finnish. They depict the emptiness of human life, and filling it with vain religions; 'Kirkonväki' has some great and funny commentary. There are outside literary influences in "Moby Dick" and the Bible.

Sometimes it is heavy as hell, and it also can be more cavernous (the best example of this being 'Truth Hath no Confiness'). It is something many bands don't care to do these days: Different soundscape utilized at least on some of the songs. At times, I get annoyed by a tad too triggered sound of the bass drums. Every instrument is well-audible in the mix.

If you can handle truculent evilness, you should give 'Crushing Black Death' a spin for sure. If you're feeling joyous, feel it rip the glee out of you, and daunt you for a long time. See, there is no positive energy here on this album.

Rating: 7+ (out of 10) ratings explained

Reviewed by Lane
02/03/2020 11:35