COSMIC PUTREFACTION

The Horizons Towards Which Splendour Withers I, VOIDHANGER

Italian mavericks surrender to the deathly void

It takes a lot to make hardened death metal fans feel queasy, but Cosmic Putrefaction have access to some malevolent, secret formula that allows them to be both recognisably brutal and deeply peculiar. When blasting at full pelt, there’s always a sense that something inexplicable and grim is oozing from slender cracks in the barrage; similarly, when the one-man Italian crew meanders into lysergic, ambient pastures, there’s a tension and brittle brutality that cruelly denies any respite or relief. While still deliciously raw and hostile, songs like the stately Abysmal Resonance Projection offer a sonically rich and spiritually murderous alternative to the death metal status quo. Stunning, nerd-friendly artwork clinches the deal. ■■■■■■■■■■

FOR FANS OF: Nile, Omega Infinity, Beneath

DOM LAWSON