Artist: Cenotafio
Country: Chile
Label: Demoniac Productions
Formats: LP / CD
Year: 2026
Anyone who, for the last decade or so, has followed the Death Metal scene even a little, will undoubtedly have come across Cenotafio at some point. Despite their relatively modest discography, with their latest album dating from 2019, this Chilean band’s releases have been put out by a multitude of different labels. It always gives a slightly disorganised impression, but it is possible that this is how the music has reached many Death Metal fans’ ears (assuming, of course, that everything has actually been sold and is being listened to). However, despite this, we cannot consider Cenotafio to be one of the country’s best-known Death Metal bands. The reason for this actually becomes clear once again whilst listening to this third full-length album.
It depends on who you ask as to how they would classify Cenotafio’s music. One person might call it ‘doomy’ Death Metal, whilst another would prefer to stick the label ‘Black Metal’ on it. Now, pigeonholing isn’t strictly necessary, but that’s just how the human brain works, especially that of metalheads. It also reflects the fact that the music can sound somewhat erratic. Indeed, one moment it delves into ominous depths, whilst the next it opts for a blood-curdling fast-paced Black Metal variant. In any case, Cenotafio embraces the dark side of Extreme Metal, a feeling further emphasised by the striking cover art.
However, the musical realisation of all this isn’t necessarily all that convincing. Whilst it’s certainly true that ‘La Escisión Acausal: Por La Vía Inversa Hacia La Descarnación’ is Cenotafio’s most complete album to date, it all sounds rather interchangeable and generic. It comes just a little too close to what we’ve collectively come to call ‘Cavernous Death Metal’ or ‘Caverncore’: thick walls of impenetrable, dense layers of riffs and thunderous vocals. The few small gaps that do appear are skilfully plastered over by equally overwhelming drumming. It’s reminiscent of the many bands from labels such as Profound Lore and Dark Descent Records a few years back: quite good, but not particularly exciting and lacking any hint of an original sound. Perhaps even a little soulless.
Although the peak in popularity of this type of Death Metal is now some time behind us, there are certainly still plenty of fans out there. That isn’t the problem, either. The problem, if you even want to call it that, is that a band like Cenotafio lacks any form of recognisability. Even a seasoned Death Metal fanatic won’t instantly recognise Cenotafio amongst the vast deluge of bands operating in this musical sphere. If that’s not a problem for you and you’re simply looking for Death Metal like you’ve heard before and don’t really care which logo is on the cover, then this is a fine album, because, to be fair, it certainly isn’t bad.
