Celebrating 20 years of death dealing and devastation, De Profundis have returned with a rejuvenated line-up and a brand new EP of stunning power and intensity. The Gospel Of Rot EP brings together four tracks of furious death metal and masterful musicianship into a manifesto of resistance against the empty vessels that rule us, dragging our civilisation into a mire of degradation. Beginning with “I: Corruption” we are hit by a torrent of classic death metal that makes incursions into the realms of thrash and black metal, thriving in the fluid boundaries between the genres. New vocalist Stefano Bassi immediately makes his mark with deep, guttural tones of depth and substance and second new addition to the ranks, bassist Simon McAuliffe, is immediately noticeable too, punching through the mix, an intrinsic part of this new chapter for De Profundis. Despite the remarkable work this band have produced over the years, by the midpoint of second song, “II: Deception” it’s a struggle not to immediately embrace The Gospel Of Rot as their finest work to date. On one level it’s direct, hard-hitting and straight between the eyes – on another there are so many subtle shifts, touches and nuances that set it apart from the rest of the field. The vocal delivery in “III: Indoctrination” is imperious, the drumming overwhelming, the lead playing simply brilliant. Every progression, every passage, every scuttling spider-legged scale and formidable blast on this EP is just right, crafted to perfection. The Gospel Of Rot concludes with a raging cover of Sepultura’s classic “Subtraction” and De Profundis have made it their own; sublimely executed, it slots into place as an integral part of a magnificently engineered death metal machine. With incredible performances and incredible songs, De Profundis are back at the very top of their game.
