Denominate: Those Who Beheld The End

In "The Tell-Tale Heart," the old man with the pale blue eye experiences such a profound terror of death that he can almost feel it coming. Put another way, he knows death is coming and that it will not come peacefully. For him, dying is happening now—and it's terrible. Many people fear death—it's one of the most common human fears—but I didn't know there was a related fear, the fear of eternity (apeirophobia, also the name of the sixth track), that also torments some people.

It would be an understatement to write that this album reflects on death regularly. From start to finish, the album returns again and again to topics related to death. If not always treated explicitly, death shows up in other ways—as silence, deep chasms, shadows, and so on. Death is a common theme on albums like this, but this album reflected on it with generally strong music that was both well written and performed smoothly.

For those who don't know Denominate, the band draws on the influences of Death and Carcass and adds to it some contemporary developments in sound and style. Fans of Death will certainly hear components of favorite songs weaved into the music here and there on this album. I was especially surprised by the sound of "Terrestrial Funeral," a track that brought me back to my days of discovering Death for the first time. I say I was surprised because this album is never just one song after another played in the same style and mood. Sure, the band has a distinctive sound and plays in a recognizable genre, but it avoids dullness and repetition pretty well. The aforementioned "Terrestrial Funeral" was definitely a highlight for me. I'd also suggest "The Demented Scholar of Abatos," a killer track that shows off this band's chops at their best. This is a highly recommended new release; check it out!

Track Listing:
1. In a Chasm of Stone
2. Degradation
3. Penumbra
4. The Demented Scholar of Abatos
5. Torments of Silence
6. Apeirophobia
7. Terrestrial Funeral

Added: July 12th 2016
Reviewer: Carl Sederholm
Score:
Related Link: Band Facebook Page
Hits: 2119
Language: english

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