THANATOMASS "Hades" by LIVING TEMPLE RECORDS

"At long last, THANATOMASS' first official full-length arises with Hades. Here, immediately, past and present are consumed by unquenchable fire, an absolute bloodlust that cannot be sated - a near-overwhelming display of ultraviolent physicality that takes on a supernatural aspect, so impossibly askew is their attack. With but a minute-long intro to set the stage and prepare the unsuspecting for the cosmic onslaught ahead, Hades kicks into contorting/spiraling form with the 10-minute epic "Templvm Carnalis / Vomit Ceremony," which mainlines the OTT diabolism of Sarcofago's INRI into the vortextural slipstream of classic Katharsis. But as the album plays on - and as the listener's will is reflexively, irrevocably broken down, submission turning to hypnotism and eventually immolation - those sonic signposts are successively uprooted, and it's brazenly displayed that THANATOMASS are operating with a decidedly unique approach to songwriting. Still ultraviolent, sure, and arguably one of the most dangerous displays of such within nowadays' underground, Hades presents clear & caustic ideas hammered to their logical conclusion only to birth yet more vulgar shapes that then contort and distort themselves into continually frightening contours...all with nary a pause for breath. But lest one think that THANATOMASS are "chaotic" or "dissonant" or other such loaded descriptors, it must be stressed that their chops and execution are superlative: natural and "live," as it should be, with no fake punch-ins and the like, honoring the ancient ways of heavy metal fire. And, just like their prior recordings but especially more so here, THANATOMASS are undeniably a black METAL band, flying the flag of the first wave but prepared to burn any banners or standards as needed.

At seven songs across 44 minutes, with two songs topping eight minutes each and another two topping ten, Hades is a tower of ceremonial debauchery writ in shattered-glass sonics. That David Glomba provides stunning cover and interior artwork further underlines the magnitude of THANATOMASS' debut album, and altogether stands as the momentous event it was destined to be. Submit to everlasting fire!"

Nathan T. Birk

living-temple.org
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