Sulphur Aeon - Gateway to the Antisphere (2015)^{Release ID: 8716}

"I haven't been this excited about death metal since 1991!" That's what an internet acquaintance of mine posted on Facebook during 2015 whilst mid-discussion about the wealth of excellent bands knocking about at the time.  During the posting frenzy that quickly became a "recent discoveries" exchange many names came out of the hat such as Chapel Of Disease and Sempiternal Dusk but the origin of that discussion was a link that had been posted to then current release from German band Sulphur Aeon.

"Gateway To The Antisphere" promises epic DM soundscapes with it's dramatic Cthulhu artwork and opens very strongly with a menacing intro to boot before the fury of album opener (proper) "Devotion to the Cosmic Chaos". It is obvious straight away that this is going to be as epic as the artwork suggests as the formidable drumming instantly settles into an impressive array of blastbeats and fills to accompany the huge riffs and dark, foreboding atmosphere. It is an epic experience that never quite spills into the realm of being "showy" for "showy's" sake. Sulphur Aeon know how to play their instruments, that cannot be questioned here but what deserves equal praise is their ability to channel the prowess and skill into working parts to make a whole sound as opposed to just intricate structures to exemplify their musical girth! 

Any straightforward blasting is tempered by doomy sections and varied pace and tempos throughout. For every melodic burst there is a murky undertone to the production to keep us firmly in the darkness from which these stabs of melody appear. Comparisons to Behemoth seem inevitable but by no means are they are a negative. Indeed I am often reminded of last year's excellent "The Satanist" as "Gateway..." unfolds it's dark thumping majesty accompanied by occasional BM sound in the background.

During the aforementioned FB discussion a friend of a friend mentioned that Sulphur Aeon were nothing new as a sound and the author of that comment is right. Death metal has been done before (most certainly) but very rarely is it done this well. A few spins into "Gateway.." and you are hooked, addicted to the crushing majesty of the whole experience, drawn by the tireless charge of its epic direction yet also smitten with the melodic beauty within.