Adramelech - Psychostasia (1996)^{Release ID: 3762}

The unmistakable sound of Finnish Death Metal emanates from the speakers the instant you put Psychostasia on.  That brutal approach coupled with the technical edge of death metal does emanates forth like a cosy darkness from the blackest of flames imaginable.   The use of atmosphere is also notable here with a doomy edge to proceedings giving weight to the sound as well as a harrowing cut to the guitar work that adds to this dank hue perfectly.

Perhaps most notable for me are the vocals.  They are a whispered menace throughout the record, a suffocating rasp that sounds other-worldly.  They enhance the instruments by sitting well in the mix but also by their unique style.  Likewise, the drums are key in the mix as they most definitely can be heard but they never dominate proceedings yet remain constantly in my awareness.  The main driver here on the record however is the superb riffs on display.  The scathing and melodic riff to The Book Of The Worm is one of the first pieces of Finnish Death Metal that I ever heard and the track remains one of my favourite tracks from the country to this day.

Inevitably, Adramelech drew comparisons with Demilich which I always felt was only half true a likeness.  The technicality is there yes but the there's a lot more depth to Psychostasia and personally I visit this record a lot more than Nespithe.  I feel that Adramelech more than stand on their own two feet and don't need the comparison to the mighty aforementioned band, this album was their debut full length after a couple of EPs at the start of the 90s and it already showed a penchant for songwriting and a maturity of playing that might not have been as avant-garde as the only full length from their compatriots some three years earlier, but it still remains a solid and often overlooked classic death metal record.