Prophetic Scourge: Calvary

With the steady rise of Gojira it’s maybe no surprise that there seems to be a rumbling in the French metal scene that’s threatening to cause quakes further afield. One of those leading the charge is Prophetic Scourge, a technical death outfit that impressed with their debut EP and who look set to make an even bigger impression with their first full length effort, Calvary. Very little info arrived with the neat little promo CD I was lucky enough to receive, but with each of the eight tracks included twice named - “The Penitent - Confrere de la Misericorde� or “The Apostate - Enlightening Inviting Denial�, for example - I’m guessing that there’s a concept in play here, but with the thoroughly convincing vocals from Josh Smith pleasingly impenetrable, what the underlying message is I’m not too sure.

The first of those cuts is a slow builder that lays out the more aggressive, unrepentant side of the Prophetic Scourge offering. “The Medium - A Spider Goddess Is Revealed� laying the claim for the progressive side of what’s on display; a roaming framework constantly expanded upon as the captivating guitar work from Robin Claude and Romain Larregain pretty much destroys everything in its path. That the pair can also spark off in all manner of other directions is their stronghold and a position they defend with real fervour. However, the willingness to push at the boundaries is never abused, the flow and tone of the album impressively consistent and always able to satisfy. And with the slow grind of “The Hierophant - Bringing Lost Sheep Back To The Fold� building gracefully into a barrage of beats, before turning the intensity up again and again, the assured variety on display makes Calvary one of those albums that just gets better and better with every spin.

Whether through the full force kick to the guts of “The Alchemist - Caging The Homunculi (In Water At Box)� or “The Witchfinder - Until Your Flesh Departs�, what really makes this release stand out is the ease with which the various aspects being revealed come together. The heaviness is never needless, the technical prog side never there just for flash.

Keeping in mind that it’s early days for Prophetic Scourge, it has to be said that Calvary is an impressive and accomplished album. If they can build on this, we may be looking at a main player in the scene.

Track Listing
1. The Penitent - Confrère De La Miséricorde

2. The Witchfinder - Until Your Flesh Departs

3. The Flagellant - Whipping To Epiphany

4. The Medium - A Spider Goddess Is Revealed

5. The Hierophant - Bringing Lost Sheep Back To The Fold

6. The Alchemist - Caging The Homunculi (In Water At Box)

7. The Apostate - Enlightening Inviting Denial

8. The Cultist - The Rise Of The Great Lord Cthulhu 

Added: February 24th 2019
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: Calvary @ bandcamp
Hits: 1588
Language: english

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