A mere two full-lengths in, Finnish Death Metal outfit Sepulchral Curse sound and feel right at home with what they’re out to accomplish and Abhorrent Dimensions (Transcending Obscurity) digs deep into the annals of grotesquery and emerges as a festering titan of slop.
Kari Kankaanpää spews venom into the mic as if he is on the final mile of a full marathon, there is just the right amount of primordial production throughout and the variation and progression keeps the skeleton of the record in check.
There is a lingering air of intelligence that consistently swirls over the tracks, a pleasing duality of what the band is aiming for and how superbly they accomplish those goals by the end.
Jaakko Rïïhimäki and Aleksi Luukka double-team with fluttering riffs and chilling tones. They’re also given a nifty spotlight on “Stagnant Waters” to show off their string-slinging prowess. And the two are able to keep songs fresh and refined, allowing for the record as a whole to carve out an identity that refuses to be bland or repetitive.
“Onward The Legions” stands as a beacon of hope for people who enjoy full-circle compositions (and gloriously horrific huffs). Johannes Rantala’s frenetic drum lines exude fear and confidence all at once. In fact, his percussion not only dazzles but also brings finesse to the table. Sepulchral Curse is completed by Niilas Nissilä, who not only provides bass but also chips in with backing vocals, yet another ingredient in this cauldron of caustic caterwauling.
“Among The Wretched Columns” and “The Serpents Of Uncreation” further emphasize Kankaanpää’s heaving, carnivorous vocal style. In fact, the technique actually seems to…transcend the white-bread monotony that sometimes plagues the genre, not something easy to do with such an influx of up-and-coming death metal acts cropping up over the years.
Abhorrent Dimensions is exactly as advertised: the music is disgusting, yet the songwriting is able to transport the listener to a different place entirely, voluntarily or not.
Buy the album here:
https://sepulchralcursefin.bandcamp.com/album/abhorrent-dimensions
8 / 10
MATT COOK