Review by Saxy S for Ophidian I - Desolate (2021)

If death metal can be written on a spectrum and on one end you have the most filthy, brutal death metal of Cryptopsy, Nile, and Dying Fetus, and on the other side of the aisle is the slower, melodic grooves of In Flames, Insomnium and Dark Tranquility (where I comfortably reside), then Ophidian I is the band trying to bring these variations in style a little bit closer together. The melodic stylings of the guitars highlighting a monstrous fundamental with blast beats galore and palm muted rhythm guitars, and a riveting vocal performance from John Olgeirsson. The album sounds nice and the bass presence is brimming with intensity. But I have to admit: this album goes a little bit too hard for my personal preference. Many of the melodic phrases sound more like scale warmups rather than a cohesive idea. It almost reminds me of when I was in school and every single student thought that they could write a tune, but instead of creating a melody that was memorable for the listener, they rather focused on how many notes you could fit into a short period of time. There are a lot of similarities between Ophidian I and the band Rings of Saturn. I would presume that those who appreciate the more technical side of death metal will find more to like out of this than me.