ALBUM REVIEW: Bizarre – Invocation Codex

Spanish old school Death Metal titans BIZARRE are summoned for their debut album to be unveiled via Transcending Obscurity Records on October 20th.

An eerie introduction begins our descent into the catacombs of Bizarre, effective yet short and to the point. Roaring vocals and dismally dark riffs punch into life with ferocious drums, delivering a swarm of eerie and malevolent Death Metal with some grandiose synths sat below the depths for a short moment before the storm of Lovecraftian horrors dives into the murk. Vitriolic and scathing, this music is so full of dark energy and tight musicianship that it is impossible to escape the immensity of Bizarre and their odiously atmospheric sounds. Restlessly beating drums give the music a fierce heartbeat as the monolithic riffing contorts into inhuman shapes with ethereal leads further adding dimensions to the unearthly Death Metal. Vocally, the roars and snarls have a bestial ferocity that suits the unrelenting storms of instrumental violence gloriously. This is not faint or meek music, this is a firestorm of pure sonic devastation.

Venturing further into the deep realms of the abyss, the music has a technical and melodic edge to the otherwise rather old school Death Metal which is an interesting juxtaposition. Taking a lot of their cues from the Finnish Death Metal influence they so openly declare as their primary inspiration, “Invocation Codex” puts a more modern yet unapologetically derived spin on this sound which is done so in a very interesting fashion. Some Gothenburg style melodies creep in to give the music some haunting yet catchy moments before diving back into a burst of bestial malice without warning. Production-wise this album has a surprisingly clean sound that allows the sheer sonic diversity to be heard with clarity, while not overly polishing it to the point of sounding clinical. Some of the bass-driven Finnish dirge is lost, but in place we see a more technical flourish, which sometimes works for the best but can also detract occasionally from the atmosphere of the album. This said, it does also give the band a bit more of a unique style to give them character atop their obvious worship of the Finnish gods of the 90s.

Deeper into the depths Bizarre take us ever lower with their sonic upheaval of all things. Catatonic drum grooves and magnificently malicious riffs keep the momentum of the album strong as drawn out snarls superbly deliver their cosmic horror lyrics of dread and otherworldly beings. Delicious is the delivery of this music and its violently restless progressions that harken back to the old school but bring it firmly into the present day. Another interesting element, some of the soloing on this album is so gloriously melodic in a more traditional Heavy Metal sense of epic shreds, it breathes a different kind of life into the music that is definitely born of talent but also different ways of thinking. As an axe-slinger, this will always appeal to me. Rumbling bass lines break the mould with more intricate rhythmic hooks and overall we see a very thorough record that has been thought out to great extent unfurl into something wonderful.

A unique, labyrinthine and crushing monolith of a debut album. Musically tight with an old school attitude that is somewhat modernised for maximum destruction, this Lovecraftian Death Metal creeps and lurks into life before taking us into the chasm for an assault of the senses from every angle.