ALBUM REVIEW: Conjureth – The Parasitic Chambers

Californian Death Metal tyrants CONJURETH are back with their second album. Due for release via Memento Mori and Rotted Life Records on January 23rd.

“Are you bent on reviving forgotten horrors?” asks the introduction sample before bellowing into a crushing array of pure old school Death Metal. Blasting drums and malicious guitars answer the question with a resounding yes. Monstrous vocals brutalise what the instruments have not already slaughtered and the utterly voracious musicianship coupled with classic 90s production full of meatiness consumes all in its path. The cymbal work is out of this world with some excellent dancing bell hits chiming through the gut-rupturing kicks and warped riffing, showing a band who all use their creativity to its fullest from the get-go while keeping it rotten and old school. Seething solos seep through the mix with equally tasteful lead work and I have to say, if these early moments don’t grip you, then your taste in Death Metal might be broken.

Although unquestionable crushing and putrid, there is no denying that Conjureth have a slick sense of melody and technicality that doesn’t overshadow the brutality, but certainly gives it some flavour with the angular twists and turns or random shreds that come out of nowhere. Their demos and debut record all showed huge promise and I believe “The Parasitic Chambers” can definitely be accredited as a delivery of said promised fruits, festering though they may be. Sadistically pounding at their instruments with possessed fury, the feral aggression in their playing is palpable yet doesn’t ever get sloppy, Conjureth obviously know what their abilities are and utilise these strengths to the fullest.

Until the monolithically doomy finale, all of the songs stay at a pretty normal length with a restless and overall non-repetitive feeling. Always moving healthily, while not rushing per se, their majestic arrangements fill their sepulchral crypts with ferocious soundscapes that never stagnate. While there isn’t a huge variety in tempo, the dynamics and still furiously heavy and intense with a malice that bites through the air like ice. Here and there these little cosmic flares harken back to bands like Demilich while the overall sensibilities are of the Floridian vein with a healthy mix of technicality in their primal thrashing Death Metal decimation. If you only like the slower, to mid-tempo stuff; then Conjureth might simply be too heavy for you. But if you like things ruthless and ramped up to eleven, this is the record for you.

Death Metal done exactly how it should be. Brutal, old school and full of crushing tracks. With musicianship that has clearly been extremely well rehearsed and an equally impressive execution in the art and production departments, all of the elements of some truly great, extreme and savage music are here. The honouring of tradition without being too contrived is held in perfect harmony and the songs simply rip. “The Parasitic Chambers” is definitely a worth follow up to the bands already impressive discography. And hopefully not its last…