Band: Diabolic Oath
Album: Profane Death Exodus
Genre: Black/Death Metal
Country: USA
Release Date: 26th of June, 2020
Released via: Sentient Ruin Laboratories
Cover Artwork: © Sentient Ruin Laboratories
Recently, I enthusiastically wrote my article about the new album by Dearth, with which Sentient Ruin Laboratories once again convinced me of their strong quality. Because I hyped the record so much, I almost missed another release of the label that sounds just as mercilessly evil and doesn’t need to hide.
We are talking about Profane Death Exodus, the first album of the band Diabolic Oath, which was released almost at the same time as Dearth. It’s simply unbelievable with what brutal, apocalyptic and anarchic sounds the band spiked their first longplayer to lure the listeners’ sweat out of their pores.
You don’t have to listen for long to know what you are dealing with on Profane Death Exodus. The fulminant, terrifyingly evil Black/Death blob, casts a spell from the first second on and throws the listener into a bitterly oppressive scene. Whoever is into end times, apocalypse and the end of the world will feel at home in the bouncing, tightening atmosphere and will be picked up by the fast, ultra-aggressive sound.
The guitars on Profane Death Exodus are so versatile that even the attempt to describe them would fail. Nevertheless, there are certain elements that stand out and are worth mentioning. Apart from several effects, which are incorporated into the slightly dissonant riffing, the dense, instrumentally created atmosphere is amazing, which tries to capture the disturbing setting musically. Partly the main riffs sound extremely massive and remind us of the heaviness of gigantic industrial machines, but on the other hand there are also moments when you could describe the guitar playing more as hymnic or epic. Most of the time, however, the riffing just seems incredibly angry and cuts deep into the ear canals.
Another highlight are the metallic melody insertions, of which some are so catchy that they immediately stay in your ears and offer a nice change to the “hell on earth parts”. All in all, Diabolic Oath are very broadly based when it comes to playing the guitar and thus offer many exciting moments, some of which can only be discovered after various runs and which clearly prove the album’s suitability for long-playing.
The drumming, led by a distinctive snare, is the real deal and not only delivers outstanding changes in time and tempo but also succeeds in not standing still in the actually slower passages, and swirls around on the drums almost incessantly. No standstill, no pause, just sheer rage, with which the band seems to try to shatter the world as much as possible.
With a kind of alternation of bestial screaming and colossal roaring, Diabolic Oath manage to pull even further into their set hell, which you start to fear more and more. Especially because of the combination of instrumentals, vocals and atmosphere, which could all be described as horrible, this record ignites completely.
The dragging parts on the other hand can be counted on two hands, but in no way seem less evil than the rampaging pendant. Exception is the last track “Chalice Of Conquering Blood“, which comes up with partly viscious death/doom and provides a rather crass, but at the same time also very exciting contrast to the rest of the album. In my eyes it’s maybe not the very best doomtrack at all, but because of the sound before it’s a very catchy experience with which the trio finds a successful conclusion and brings the album to an end in a way that leaves nothing to be desired.
Also there’s nothing to complain about concerning sound quality and production. The sound is solid throughout and captures the atmosphere and instruments perfectly while paying Enough attention to the individual passages without neglecting the scary big picture.
As mentioned in the beginning, Diabolic Oath have released their album via Sentient Ruin Laboratories, where you can get vinyl and/or tape since June 26th. If you are into this kind of music, you should also have a look at the rest of the label’s selection where you can find high quality records from all over the world.
For people who love bands like Of Feather & Bone, Outer Heaven or Teitanblood, Diabolic Oath is an absolute must listen. Profane Death Exodus is a horrible chunk that sounds incredibly evil and is definitely one of the best releases so far that the crusty Black/Death genre has eradicated this year. This is merciless and authentic music to accompany the end of the world in its purest form!
★★★★★★★★★☆
9/10
Favourite Tracks:
“Morbid Ekstasis”
“Chalice of Conquering Blood“
[bandcamp width=99% height=120 album=1277064788 size=large bgcol=333333 linkcol=e99708 tracklist=false artwork=small]
1 Pingback