Artist: Zolfo
Album: Delusion of Negation
Genre: Doom/Sludge Metal
Country: Italy
Release Date: 24th of January, 2020
Released via Spikerot Records
Cover Artwork © Spikerot Records, 2020
The Cotard’s syndrome, named after Dr. Jules Cotard, a Parisian neurogolist and psychiatrist from the 19th century, describes a mental illness condition, in which afflicted patients falsely believe that parts of their body or even their soul are non-existent. In its most distinct form, this nihilistic delusional disorder, also referred to as the Delusion of Negation, led to the denial of one’s or even the world’s existence.
Any less oppressive as the aforementioned syndrome is the same-named debut album by Zolfo, a five-piece Metal band hailing from South Italy. After Naga‘s excellent Void Cult Rising from 2019, Delusion of Negation marks the second Spikerot Records release that caught my attention from top to bottom with its individually unique interpretation of massive Doom Metal soundscapes that are build on sludgy riffs, gnarly basslines and a variable, more slow-paced drumming.
The most outstanding thing about this album is that every song takes its time to unfold in different directions like the melodic and almost hypnotic middle part in “Inner Freeze” or the ultra-atmospheric “Delusion of Negation”, which first dives into ambient waters before slowly reaching its climax with distorted fuzzy guitars and the inhuman growls of singer Dave.
The album is very variable and dynamic in detail and Zolfo manage it with ease, integrating an urgent intensity into their bleak cinematic soundscapes. If you’re into unique riff-based and intense Doom and Sludge Metal that gets refined through psychedelic and droney moments, I strongly advice you to give the record a shot. Since this is already a pretty strong debut, I am very curious to see where the musical journey for the quintet from Bari will lead. And hey Spikerot, please give the record a decent vinyl treatment!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
9/10
As usual, we added the favorite track(s) to our Transcended Review Playlist 2020.
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