SULPHUR AEON — Gateway to the Antisphere (review)

SULPHUR AEON — Gateway to the Antisphere album cover Album · 2015 · Death Metal Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
UMUR
"Gateway to the Antisphere" is the second full-length studio album by German death metal act Sulphur Aeon. The album was co-released through Imperium Productions and Ván Records in April 2015. Sulphur Aeon was formed in 2010 and released a demo in 2010 and the "Deep Deep Down They Sleep" EP in 2012. The band released their debut full-length studio album "Swallowed by the Ocean's Tide" in 2013.

Stylistically the material on "Gateway to the Antisphere" contineus the energetic, chaotic, technically well played and brutal blackened death metal style of "Swallowed by the Ocean's Tide". This is the style of music Sulphur Aeon have been playing since the 2010 "Sulphur Psalms" demo, although they have of course developed their style and overall sound since that release. I read somewhere that their sound is reminiscent of the fast-paced and technical death metal of Nile and the brutal blackened death metal attack of Behemoth, and it´s not far off the description I´d give the music. The sometimes surreal atmosphere and Lovecraftian horror lyrics give Sulphur Aeon their own uniqueness though, and although I wouldn´t call them the most original sounding death metal act, they certainly understand how to seamlessly combine many different death metal subgenre elements.

The material lacks slightly in the catchiness department and it´s not the most dynamic music either, with the pedal to the metal almost the entire time, and it would have been nice with a bit more focus on memorability and variation between tracks. It´s the same gripe I had with "Swallowed by the Ocean's Tide", and although I think Sulphur Aeon have branched out and now incorporate even more different death metal subgenre elements than ever before, I could have wished that I was able to better tell the tracks apart. Repeated listens of course reveal more nuances and details, but a few more hooks would have made a positive difference.

There´s often a chaotic feeling to the music, which is further enhanced by the sound production choices, and again it would have been nice to be able to hear some of the riffs a bit more clear and defined in the mix. But it´s obvious that Sulphur Aeon go for atmosphere before riffs, which is arguably a black metal aestethic rather than a riff heavy death metal ditto. Nothing wrong with that, it´s just what you have to set your expectations to hear. A 3.5 - 4 star (75%) rating is deserved.
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