Phobocosm - Deprived (2014)
Dark Descent Records
Review by Trevor Proctor
Montreal
group, Phobocosm, have been orchestrating the darkest of death metal since their
formation in January 2008 when S.D. (guitars) and J.S.G. (drums) left a
previous band to team up with vocalist and bassist E.B. and guitarist R.M. Phobocosm
was established with the sole purpose of twisting minds with their blend of death
metal that contains a varied mix of extreme styles and tempos. Whilst
incorporating a myriad of influences into their music Phobocosm have managed to
keep their roots firmly implanted in old school death metal but have added
snippets of black metal, doom and even ambient into the mix with devastating
effect.
Their debut album, Deprived, has just been released on Dark Descent
Records and it’s a forty eight minute trip to hell with their bleak, darkened death
metal as the soundtrack. The album was mixed and mastered by Colin Marston (Gorguts,
Dysrhythmia, Krallice) and Chimère Noire, who’s previously worked with Abyssal
and Portal, designed the artwork. Phobocosm recently played two shows in
Montreal and Toronto with fellow Dark Descent bands Thantifaxath and
Adversarial to mark the album’s release – with Dark Descent supremo Matt
Calvert declaring Phobocosm to be every bit as good live as they are in the
studio.
From
the first note of the opening track, Sleep Deprivation, it’s apparent we’re in
for a treat – at just over three minutes long this agonizingly slow, tortured
and doom-laden instrumental is enough to show us this isn’t your standard, run of
the mill, death metal; it’s twisted, gnarly, suffocating and oppressive music
that’ll torture the mind almost as much as it assaults the eardrums. From start
to shuddering finish this is an album that grips you by the throat and never
lets its vice-like grip weaken. The pace both during tracks and between them varies,
but the heavy as fuck, oppressive, destructive, death metal is ever-present;
obliterating and battering the senses throughout.
Tracks like Solar Storm blast
the shit out of you with their frenetically paced heaviness from the beginning
whilst others like Solipsist worm their way under your skin in a slower, more
subtle manner – either way the result is the same as Phobocosm show us there’s
a lot more in their musical arsenal than blue-printed death metal and impress
us with their varied dynamics and style at each and every turn of their
demented path.
Death
metal was never intended to be pretty but this is an ugly, blackened, hideous beast
of an album – whilst instantly accessible it’s also an infectious, grower of a
listen that warps the mind and burrows its way into your subconscious a little
more each time you give it a spin.
Dark Descent Records has a seriously
impressive roster of bands with the likes of Lvcifyre, Corpsessed, Father
Befouled and Lie in Ruins being just a few of their sterling signings. With
Phobocosm, once again, they’ve signed a band that sits well amongst these
heavyweights of Death Metal. If Matt’s opinion of their live ability is
anything to go by then this is a band with a first-rate future ahead of them -
both in and out of the studio. An outstanding debut.
9/10
Tracklist:
1 - Sleep Deprivation
2 - Solipsist
3 - Knives in the Senate House
4 - Solar Storm
5 - 27 Days of Darkness
6 - Drowned
7 - Awaken Unconscious
8 - Forever Doubt
Deprived was released by Dark Descent Records on September 30th.
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