ALBUM REVIEW: Astriferous – Atavistic Unraveling

Hailing from Costa Rica, Astriferous play a most ancient form of death metal. Having reviewed every release from their 2019 demo to present; I could not miss the opportunity to talk about their second LP. Set for release via Me Saco Un Ojo Records and Pulverised Records on June 26th.

Malevolent guitars and raunchy bass kick in with building drums and instantly the filthy production is notable. Primitive hooks and visceral vocals intertwine in a rotten cascade of eldritch putrescence. Mixing the more vicious rhythms with these atmospheric tremolo picking sections, the overall feel of Astriferous is a forceful and yet textured style of death metal that combines the fetid likes of Demigod with the more technical edge of Morbid Angel to ensure maximum brutality. Allowing themselves to slow things to a more doomy pace, there is plenty of dynamics to this music which shift from otherworldly horrors to bloodied frenzy with impressive ease. From the snarling malignant voice to the serpentine ferocity of the riffs and the essential strength of the drumming obliteration; this is a formidable concoction of horrifying death metal carnage. The balance between being a touch more expansive, especially in the atmospheric side of things and even including some synths, is a delicate one. Thankfully Astriferous have not launched themselves into some obnoxious and pretentious progressive arc of their career but keep their solemn death metal grounded with plentiful classic elements. This middle ground perfectly suits their style and feels like a new step in the career of a band who I’ve enjoyed every release from to date.

This record really feels like Astriferous took what was excellent on their debut and continued to build upon it with boundless creativity and yet also keeping that primitive savagery intact. You can be taken into the outer reaches by these more cerebral sections only to drop through the subterranean chasms by some brutish outburst of violence. There is definitely more angular riffing a la Demilich than before which works with their inhuman sounding musical torments. These haven’t replaced the convulsing contortions of tremolo-riffing or grooving chaos, but all elements are instead used in this charnel mixture to supreme effect. Around each bend some new horror is lurking, waiting to consume you with the foulest deathly configurations of decay that the band can muster up. Within their niche of the genre it may be hard to stay impactful but I think the Costa Ricans have managed to hold onto their sound without recycling their former works which is wonderful to hear.

A triumphant new opus of arcane turbulence from Astriferous, an entity of death metal’s dark outer reaches that makes their own way in the underground catacombs of the genre. Forging the sepulchral and grandiose; this record is a blistering inferno of celestial violence that shall certainly be found worming itself into the minds of the death metal fiends who discover it. There is a glorious balance of the crushing classic feeling of the genre with those more contemporary flares that add something new to keep you interested. Simply put, this is a strong LP that hits with megaton force.