MARTYRDOOM - As Torment Prevails (CD)

The highly anticipated 2nd full-length by this Polish band. Conceived in Warsaw back in 2010, Martyrdoom went through some lineup changes until they established a solid formation in 2014, consisting of Sociak (vocals), Marol (guitar), Młynar (guitar / vocals), Artur (bass) and Wasyl (drums). With this lineup, in 2017 they released their debut album, "Grievous Psychosis", through yours truly´s label. Blending complex, blastbeat-driven, darkened Death Metal with slow doom passages, the band drew their main influences from the likes of Obituary, Immolation, Rippikoulu, Autopsy, Demilich, Triptykon, Cannibal Corpse, Incantation, Hooded Menace, Grave, Disma and Dead Congregation, but they spewed all those influences out with renewed vigor. As far as non-musical inspirations go, their lyrics mostly revolved around old-school horror/gore movies, personal struggles and the works of H.P. Lovecraft. Bloodthirsty and dripping with menace, Martyrdoom are still armed with a thorough knowledge of ancient Death Metal and they return to create something vile and unearthly with "As Torment Prevails". Though six years might´ve passed between full-lengths, these Poles pick up exactly where they left off: eschewing all trends, trudging defiantly and blasting their noxious blend of Death Metal and doomy vibes. If anything, "As Torment Prevails" dives deeper into the ancient past, sounding like a lost relic from 1992, including the striking cover art courtesy of Ryszard Wojtyński. And while Doom no doubt forms a foundation for their sound, never do Martyrdoom sound sluggish here: their guitar sound alone is gutted, and the Doom is definitely all in the feeling, for there´s plenty of off-the-charts energy here no matter what the tempo is. Those especially enamored with the 90´s works of Asphyx and Benediction will find tons to love in "As Torment Prevails", as well as the early (and equally essential) records of Sinister and Hypocrisy. Concluding with a cover of Autopsy´s "In the Grip of Winter", Martyrdoom don´t so much as turn back the clock as crush it!

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