Invictus Productions - 2022
8.5/10
Sépulcre are a French death metal outfit who seem to have made a bit of an impression since their 2020 formation, but have only small outings to their name. Last year, the EP Cursed Ways Of Sheol hit the scenes, cementing their harsh, crushing sound laid down in the demo. While not a full-on doom/death outfit, this is certainly one that dabbles in the cavernous, bleak, and haunting corners. Slow passages play a larger role in this than most OSDM.
Thankfully, it fares excellently! The opening title track lays down some punishing riffing that delivers a harsh impact despite being galvanized in a muck of proverbial sludge. Its transition into “Relics From Unearthly Cult” is fantastic, almost passing over as if it’s the same track. This one rakes in faster patterns, letting the blasting drums take more precedence alongside the howling vocals. Even higher vocals for contrast make their way in, being a nice touch, as if the slower, echoes of the less distorted bridge aren’t enough. I guess I could describe it as “hollow” but in a good way.
The back two tracks on Cursed Ways Of Sheol march forward with this same energy, as “Aethyr Emanations” continues the fade from one track to another. Its strength is in a slow descent into eruption blows, serving as a nice transition into the nine minute epic “Foul Divinity Enthronation.” You’d expect it to doom out the hardest, but it more or less is like an extension of what we’ve gotten already. The flow is obviously similar, working off the tail of the previous track. Still a strong song, but doesn’t introduce anything more.
Sépulcre are very much onto something. Not a drop of this disappoints in any way, all they need to do is now bring it to the full-length format. We’ve heard this style plenty of times, but it’s so refreshing when it’s pulled off so nicely.
Listen -> Bandcamp
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