At now around a decade since their inception, Italy’s SYK have been garnering a, perhaps understated, but certainly formidable reputation with a penchant for complex and dissonant Death Metal.

On their latest album, eartHFlesh (Season Of Mist), also sees the challenge of it being the first on a new, prominent label and following substantial changes in the ranks, with Alan La Roca and Frederico Leone joining as bassist and drummer, respectively, also signalling the change to founding member Stefano Ferrian taking over vocal duties.

Clearly a tumultuous time in part, not that you would realise from the seemingly effortless quality at work.

Their brand of Death Metal is one that takes on a more progressive nature, with prominent ambience throughout and restraint opposed to full-on pace and brutality consistently. Album opener “I Am The Beast” commences with around a minute and a half building a haunting atmosphere (complete with matching vocals) before instrumentation kicks in with technicality and a misleadingly medium pacing.

The likes of “Where I Am Going There Is No Light” veer subtly between paces weighted with angular riffing and momentary blasts. “I’ll Haunt You In Your Dreams” and “The Sermon” hit on a similar momentum yet channel a clearly brooding tone, in addition. As is commonplace, the closing “The Passing” is a lengthier number which brings forward these styles with drawn-out areas which allow ideas to breathe, whilst also prominently bringing back the clean vocals of its opening back into the mix.

Despite several line-up changes in their history, SYK have remained pretty dogged in their 10-plus-year existence and have clearly gone from strength to strength, with eartHFlesh proving a foreboding and compelling effort.

For those who clamour for darker, emotive and surprising aspects to their Death Metal, this is certainly worth investigating.

Buy the album here:

 

7 / 10
CHRIS TIPPELL