EP REVIEW: Levitas – Charnel Sky

Here I review the debut EP from UK Extreme Metallers LEVITAS! Out now on their Bandcamp page.

1. Tamam Shud builds in with impactful drums and grisly, melancholic guitar riffs. Combined to pack an atmospherically sombre punch, this is a hopeful beginning. The hardened screams of the vocalist also hit equally hard as we are driven into the full mix of emotive Blackened-Death Metal, filled with a primal melodic feel to it that is complemented by the slightly raw production that remains very clear. Clean vocals make an unexpected appearance, adding to the melancholic vibe of the piece nicely. We are given some dissonant touches of doom and progressive flourishes to mix things up a bit. The lead work really brings the strength of the riffs and blastbeats forward, adding to the piercing quality of the screams too. This blisteringly dark piece was a solid start to the EP, fantastic.
2. Cycle follows up with more gruesome screams and thunderous drum hits with the bleak, glacial guitars cutting nicely through the mix, which is crystal clear for the most part. There is a really gorgeous, steadily developed groove to this song that shall certainly get people headbanging along in a live setting but with the punchiness there is also a really depressive touch to things that is unshakable and really adds to the musical dynamic. The naturally growing ambience is fuelled by darkened energies but works with the progressive style of the song to create a quite uplifting and hypnotic effect just as powerfully before barraging us with swinging depressive aggression. Another really stunning piece of music.
3. Life Ache finishes the trio with discordant screeches driving us in over intricate drum patterns with simplistic, drawn out guitars. There is a certain consistency in all the elements of the band from the mixture of depressive and aggressive performance to the primal yet also progressive songwriting to create a unique and very emotive soundscape. This final song is just as hard-hitting and crushingly tight as the other two with a vitriolic introspective of sheerly cold and ambient extremities that is stunningly executed. Spoken word is used effectively, adding to the misanthropic touches of the music. Brilliant.

Impactful, emotive and atmospheric. This is a class EP to set the bands career in the right direction, with soaring guitars and consistently varied drums that work with the vocals to create a chillingly sombre experience. Another gem in the increasingly strong UK underground. -8/10