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Angry Metal Guy<p><a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/phrenelith-ashen-womb-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Phrenelith – Ashen Womb Review</a></p><p><i>By Alekhines Gun</i></p><p>In the early 2010’s, the world saw an explosion of the New-School-Old-School Revival of death metal. Spearheaded by outfits like <strong>Tomb Mold, Gatecreeper, Hyperdontia, </strong>and <strong>Undergang</strong>—to name but a few—this wave of bands represented taking the crust, filth, and savagery of your favorite genre founding fathers and launching them forth with wrath into of the modern era. Standing shoulder to shoulder near the front of this pack was <strong>Phrenelith, </strong>a Danish group whose debut <em>Desolate Landscape</em> made them scene darlings almost <span><a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/phrenelith-desolate-endscape-things-you-might-have-missed-2017/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">overnight</a></span>. Unfortunately, sophomore release <em>Chimaera</em> opted for an increase in muck and atmospheric decor at the cost of some of their first album’s power, and was received somewhat <span><a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/phrenelith-chimaera-review/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">divisively</a></span>. Now, some four years later, <em>Ashen Womb</em> is prepared to drop like an anvil on their <del>un</del>suspecting fanbase. Will they continue to dive into the murky wells, or has this womb been gestating a return to glorious, bone-powdering violence?</p><p>As it turns out, <strong>Phrenelith</strong> have opted for option C. The approach of <em>Ashen Womb</em>, in both music and sound, pitches for a merging of the melancholy of <em>Chimaera</em> with <em>Desolate Landscape’</em>s cement-shattering methodology to songwriting. The production sidesteps both previous releases, at once managing to be muddy in its tone with leads vibrant enough to cut through the mire. Making his LP debut, drummer Andreas Nordgreen quickly etches his identity into the band, flowing between creative drum fills from measure to measure, giving repeated refrains in “Chrysopoeia” and “Astral Larvae” an engaging quality. Much like the artwork adorning the cover, the more melodic tones are buried but bright, even as bassist Jakob plays in tandem with guitar leads rather than chords, laying riffcraft to savage the crust below. The atypically warm DR lets everything shine in this paradoxical sonic quagmire, creating the suffocating character <em>Chimaera </em>opted for without sacrificing the clarity of barbarity at work.</p><p></p><p>Older fans will be stoked to hear the return to immediate violence in the compositions. Lead single “Stagnated Blood” toys with a repeated riff at alternating octaves, stringing together hooks and character into a ruthless scorched earth assault. “A Husk Wrung Dry” rocks an infected 7/4 riff replete with whammy abuse and staccato-laced chords which slide from bouncy to bludgeoning. Guitarists David and Simon Daniel toy with bends, modulation, and sustained tapping sections recalling the more crystalline moments of <strong>Innumerable Forms</strong>, with Simon’s vocals a belligerent, reverb-soaked guttural soup. The vocals in particular are masterfully placed—both within the mix and the music—lyrical arrangement flawlessly adding titanic force to ruthless riffing while knowing when to be silent and let the music speak for itself.<br></p><p>Nonetheless, the specter of <em>Chimaera </em>looms betwixt the heavier moments, filling the negative spaces with gloom and somberness. Title track “Ashen Womb” and “Nebulae” end on repeated, haunting melodies, drawn out to a protracted conclusion. “Sphageion” serves as one of the better interludes I’ve heard, with tension-building distortion and Andreas breaking into a free-form drum solo which would go over swell in a live setting. Even the instrumental opener “Noemata” manages to carve an identity as a curtain-lifter rather than a pointless buildup, rendering <em>Ashen Womb </em>a journey rather than a mere collection of tracks. True, the atmospherics are sometimes heavy-handed; there’s no need to bookend songs with a cumulative couple minutes of <strong>Paysage d’Hiver</strong>-esque wind and sounds, and a minute could be trimmed off of both emotive fade-outs. Despite this, the mastery of seamless transitioning, rather than sandwiching of the disparaging elements gives <em>Ashen Womb</em> its own flavor in the <strong>Phrenelith</strong> landscape.</p><p>Few bands can manage to make each album its own time capsule of sound and style, but <em>Ashen Womb</em> accomplishes that and more, cementing <strong>Phrenelith </strong>as a band with chapters. Some may cling to the idea that <em>Desolate Landscape</em> is a collection of better songs, but <em>Ashen Womb</em> is a better album; a journey with highs, lows, and tension-building. By managing to merge the melodicism and mood with the brutality, rather than sacrificing one for the other, these Danes have continued to evolve their sound in an admirable direction. Who can say where the fourth release will take us? One thing’s for sure: it won’t be what any of us expect, other than a commitment to high quality, lethal weapons grade, unadulterated death.</p> <p><strong>Rating: </strong>3.5/5.0<br><strong>DR:</strong> 8 | <strong>Format Reviewed: </strong>320 kbps mp3<br><strong>Label: </strong><span><a href="https://www.darkdescentrecords.com/shop/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Dark Descent Records</a></span><br><strong>Websites:</strong> <a href="https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/ashen-womb" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><span>https://darkdescentrecords.bandcamp.com/album/ashen-womb</span></a><strong> | </strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/phrenelith/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank"><span>https://www.facebook.com/phrenelith/</span></a><br><strong>Releases Worldwide:</strong> February 7, 2025</p><p><a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2025/" target="_blank">#2025</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/35/" target="_blank">#35</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/ashen-womb/" target="_blank">#AshenWomb</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/danish-metal/" target="_blank">#DanishMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dark-descent-records/" target="_blank">#DarkDescentRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/death-metal/" target="_blank">#DeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/feb25/" target="_blank">#Feb25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/gatecreeper/" target="_blank">#Gatecreeper</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/hyperdontia/" target="_blank">#Hyperdontia</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/innumerable-forms/" target="_blank">#InnumerableForms</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/paysage-dhiver/" target="_blank">#PaysageDHiver</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/phrenelith/" target="_blank">#Phrenelith</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/tomb-mold/" target="_blank">#TombMold</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/undergang/" target="_blank">#Undergang</a></p>
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Angry Metal Guy<p><a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/dying-grotesque-celestial/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Dying Grotesque – Celestial</a></p><p><i>By Alekhines Gun</i></p><p>During one of my first escorted walks as a n00b through these great halls, I attempted (through the coarse burlap sack tied over my head) to convey my excitement for the new <strong>Feral </strong>release. A particularly seductive, <span><strong><span>Dolphin<span>–</span></span></strong>sounding</span> voice dismissed my joy, describing the album as “just more Swedeath.” At the time, I was shocked and appalled. Sure, Swedish death metal is the chicken wing of the metal soundscape, with a narrow definition and specific ingredients, but that’s part of the appeal. How would anyone dare reduce one of the basic deathly food groups in such a way? Well, as if an answer to a prayer nobody made, Ukraine’s <strong>Dying Grotesque</strong> have arrived with their sophomore album <em>Celestial, </em>and don’t let the Ukrainian tag fool you. This album is as Swedish as they come.</p><p>If you’re addicted to the Swedeath sound, <em>Celestial’s</em> production will have you smitten out the gate. From the tank-tread weight of “Nuclear Meadows” doomy intro to the tension-building leads of “Purification,” <strong>Dying Grotesque</strong> puts the chainsaw in the Swedish Chainsaw tone. Sounding grand and intimidating, the riffs slot right in next to the blood and thunder of <strong>Lik</strong> and the arena-ready feel of <strong>Gatecreeper</strong> in heft and power. It will surprise no one to learn <strong>Dying Grotesque</strong><strong> </strong>do their best to <strong>Dismember</strong> their own <strong>Grave</strong>, though their start-stop styling flows less <em>Like an Everflowing Stream,</em> preferring to walk <em>Where Ironcrosses Grow.</em><a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/dying-grotesque-celestial/#fn-206772-1" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">1</a> At first blush, all is familiar, pleasing to the ear, and goes down easily, just like a well-prepared plate of wings ought to.</p><p></p><p>To their credit, <strong>Dying Grotesque</strong> knows that sauces and spices are the difference between great and not-so-great wings. Unfortunately, their sonic culinary skills lead to questionable results. Opener “Mortality”<a href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/dying-grotesque-celestial/#fn-206772-2" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">2</a> features a bizarre, inexplicable “maniacal clown” laugh which doesn’t fit the album as a whole or the song in particular. More frustratingly, the song ends with some light atmospherics and gentle trebley plucking which sounds like a lead into some genuinely interesting material, only for the song to suddenly end. This trick happens elsewhere, with “Nuclear Meadows” and “Point of View” experimenting with dynamics and tension building, only to collapse into expected, standard Swedish riffs. Individually some riffs come with real hair on their chest (seriously, at least listen to “Nuclear Meadows”). Still, the power of the moment never transpires into a memorable song as a whole. “Pneumonia” suffers from a glut of riffs strung together, gleefully shifting from one to another in the hopes of producing anything that doesn’t fade from memory as soon as the song is over. The result of this is an album less than the sum of its parts, despite the competence of individual snippets.</p><p></p><p>Performances in <em>Celestial </em>are well-executed if a little bog standard. Guitarist/Vocalist Vadym Tsambaliuk has a solid growl, despite a range of precisely one note across the entire album. Solos are sparse, and engaging when presented, though none are world-changing. Drummer Andriy Butok seems to suffer the most from the constriction and rigidity of song styles. During the more frenzied riffs, he relies heavily on the snare ‘n’ bass staple but gets to show off his skill set during slower moments where the sustained chords give him room to breathe and get creative in the pocket. More of his technical chops on display during the faster, intense moments would go far in pushing the sound <strong>Dying Grotesque</strong> has to offer.</p><p>In the end, it seems I had one final n00b lesson to learn: there really is such a thing as “just more Swedeath.” <strong>Dying Grotesque</strong> is a capable band, and <i>Celestial</i> is an okay album. It has the sound, the style, and the approach. It just needs the songwriting. I can’t knock <em>Celestial</em> for a lack of raw originality, but in a world with new <strong>Feral</strong> reminding us of the potent power the style can offer, the lack of lethal riffs simply won’t cut it. If you haven’t had your fill of chicken wings yet, give this a listen for some tasty empty calories, but <strong>Dying Grotesque</strong> will need to switch up their sauces in the future to make a meal truly satisfying.</p> <p><strong>Rating</strong>: 2.5/5.0<br><strong>DR</strong>: 5 | <strong>Format reviewed:</strong> 320 kbps mp3<br><strong>Label</strong>: <a href="https://archivist-records.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">Archivist Records</a><br><strong>Websites</strong>: <a href="https://dyinggrotesque.bandcamp.com/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">dyinggrotesque.bandcamp.com</a><br><strong>Releases Worldwide:</strong> November 29th, 2024</p><p><a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2-5/" target="_blank">#25</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/2024/" target="_blank">#2024</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/archivist-records/" target="_blank">#ArchivistRecords</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/celestial/" target="_blank">#Celestial</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/death-metal/" target="_blank">#DeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dismember/" target="_blank">#Dismember</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/dying-grotesque/" target="_blank">#DyingGrotesque</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/feral/" target="_blank">#Feral</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/gatecreeper/" target="_blank">#Gatecreeper</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/grave/" target="_blank">#Grave</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/lik/" target="_blank">#LIK</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/nov24/" target="_blank">#Nov24</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/review/" target="_blank">#Review</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/reviews/" target="_blank">#Reviews</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/swedish-death-metal/" target="_blank">#SwedishDeathMetal</a> <a rel="nofollow noopener" class="hashtag u-tag u-category" href="https://www.angrymetalguy.com/tag/ukrainian-death-metal/" target="_blank">#UkrainianDeathMetal</a></p>
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