For seven years, the members of South Carolina-based Olkoth stewed over themes of horror and corruption. Interposed with a visceral hatred, At The Eye Of Chaos (Everlasting Spew Records) is the resulting debut full-length. 

The four-piece has captured a cavalcade of fury and unrelenting bombast. As evil as the record is, it’s equally well-produced and crisply presented.

Certainly, the vocals purport heretical ire, bristling with animosity and discontent. But it doesn’t cast a muck-tinged pall over the tracks. Instead, it solidifies Olkoth’s penchant for brutally adept songwriting.

‘Thousand Faced Moon’ progresses into a full-fledged fistfight while opener ‘Alhazred’ sees tectonic-altering drums and bass. The former penetrates, giving way to the latter, which in turns fuels the assault further. Even so, there is still underrated riffing beneath the pandemonium.

Session drummer Krzysztof Klingbein provides CrossFit-energy bass pedaling (‘Incendiary Prayer’) as frontman Zach Jeter proclaims “They built a kingdom on the backs of slaves.”

Perhaps most reassuring about Olkoth is the band’s ability to make an impression in a bloated death metal scene. The product is somewhat blackened, but At The Eyes… is still a beast. The intro on ‘Lords Of The Kali Yuga’ is catastrophic. And the FFO label for ‘To Eat Of The Lotus’ should read “happiness and destruction”.

Hunter Ross, who contributes lead and rhythm guitars alongside Jeter, is a deranged man on an explosive mission. Rounded out by bassist/vocalist Alex Rush, this group made the most of their nearly decade-long span in which to put together a bludgeoning long-player.

At The Eyes Of Chaos is akin to the inside of a hurricane, a tornado of blasts and bursts. A medley of pounding rhythms and unceasing harshness.

Buy the album here:

https://everlastingspewrecords.bandcamp.com/album/at-the-eye-of-chaos

8 / 10

MATT COOK