Sulphurous - Dolorous Death Knell

Sulphurous – Dolorous Death Knell

December 2018 – Dark Descent Records

90s revival and cavernous death metal started gaining popularity about two years ago, with bands such as Phrenelith and Pissgrave being propelled into quasi-mainstream success thanks to a couple of public figures introducing their audiences to an otherwise relatively underground facet of death metal. Dark Descent Records have certainly capitalized on said revival, signing giants of the genre like Blood Incantation, Spectral Voice, and previously Chthe’ilist (and Mitochondrion to a certain degree).

As with any other cavernous death metal record, the production is the first thing you’ll notice – it’s all suffocated, as if the amps were draped in thick curtains. Few effects and no triggers are applied to the drums, giving the whole package a very live/practice room aspect. Despite the apparent muddiness of Dolorous Death Knell, everything’s quite audible – even the lower registers somehow retain clarity, mostly thanks to a humble bass guitar mix, allowing for a clickless bass drum. Sulphurous shares a drummer with Phrenelith, as well as his incessant, almost buzzing double bass accompanying almost every riff.

While a more experienced listener would be unsurprised by everything written so far, maybe even discarding the band as yet another “DarkDescentcore” record with nothing to offer, Sulphurous does offer both above-average riffs coupled with maddening leads. The latter seem to have been recorded at the bottom of a well full of sewage, distant and reminiscent of a fever dream – an incoherent story, held together by insane threads woven by only the sickest imagination. The solos come in at the right moments, and don’t overstay their welcome – more interested in building atmosphere than showing off sweeps and shredding, they feel like your head is being pulled from the mud to observe the blood-red sky, but only just enough for a desperate gasp of air before plunging back in.

With no pretention, Sulphurous chug and palm-mute without mercy – sometimes one must become a caveman to embrace the cavernous side of death metal. The Flickering is the best example of this on the record, with a couple of catchy sections almost reminiscent of some older deathrash acts. The general composition is well-crafted, with something always cutting in to catch your attention. Going from your average tremolo picked support under a lead to a recalled riff before moving into death/doom sections and the lead following suit means you’re never stuck with a part for too long. In true cavernous death metal fashion, there’s no showing off here – anything that could be construed as somewhat technical or advanced is made as simple as it can be.

Reapers Gale ends the album in a somewhat non-conventional way, with an interesting scale-climbing riff that accelerates until a climax, leaving amps and ears ringing as Sulphurous depart from the stage.