PSYCROPTIC
Divine Council PROSTHETIC
Aussie death mavericks keep the godly goods coming
STANDING OUT IN an over-populated death metal marketplace is no mean feat, but Psycroptic have made it look easy. Even on their self-released 2001 debut, The
Isle Of Disenchantment, the
Australians were audibly tinkering with the formula, proudly blurring the lines between various extreme sub-strains and constructing new, twisted shapes from well-worn ingredients. Over two decades later, Psycroptic have become one of the most revered modern tech-death bands, and their fierce, eccentric individuality remains a major selling point. The follow-up to 2018’s widely acclaimed As The Kingdom Drowns, Divine Council is another glowing advertisement for a still-evolving, maverick ethos.
The best songs here are as vicious as anything else around, but Psycroptic have long since mastered the art of dynamics and harnessed the power of groove. As demonstrated on scabrous opener Rend Asunder, this is death metal that owes little to the classics. Built upon wild, syncopated riffing and strange, sinister chord changes, it powers forward with a very contemporary momentum, with bursts of dizzying technicality woven seamlessly into a curiously catchy, near-traditional song structure. A Fool’s Errand is another instant gem; the band’s shared chemistry is on full display, as blastbeats and dark atmospherics slam into each other at full pelt.
A stripped-down slap to the skull, This Shadowed World
showcases drummer Dave Haley’s absurd chops, while his comrades whip up a storm of arpeggiated, gruesome grandeur around him. A Fragile Existence is simply the finest song these diehards have written to date. Gruffly melodic and yet still vicious enough to deliver a scalping, it encapsulates the Aussies’ certified square peg status in four-and-a-half exhilarating minutes. Proof that you can go for the jugular while skilfully juggling multiple smart ideas, Divine Council can only add more weight to Psycroptic’s already formidable reputation. ■■■■■■■■■■
FOR FANS OF: Decapitated, Gojira, Soreption
DOM LAWSON