Father Befouled

DESOLATE GODS

Initially, Father Befouled were unashamedly in the thrall of bands like Incantation. As time has progressed, so have the band, and with each record they’ve continued to forge their own path. Desolate Gods is their fourth album in five years and it focuses more on creating moods and evil atmospheres than overly technical, complex riffs. Intending to “pay homage to the ancient gods of death and chaos,” this doom and deathinfused opus is arguably their finest recorded moment to date. Serving as an apt soundtrack to a plunge into the abyss, the further into the record you go, the darker and more menacing it gets. Justin Stubbs’s vocals are diabolically good throughout and his slow and measured guttural growl, which he employs regardless of whether the band are playing lightning fast (Offering Revulsion) or downtempo (Ungodly Rest), takes things to the next level.