Artist: Deconsekrated
Country: Chile
Label: Iron, Blood And Death Corporation
Formats: CD
Year: 2024
After a 2-track demo in 2020, which also appeared as a part of split CD that appeared a year later, Chilean Death Metal band Deconsekrated only released a one-track single in called ‘Thaumaturgvs’ in 2021. After these three released tracks, the band remained painfully silent almost to an extent that it was to be expected the band folded, leaves very little traces behind. Yet, quite out of the blue Deconsekrated returned with a new recording on January 1st of the new year. They are plugging it like being a full-length album, but with a playing time of well under half an hour it is up to the listener to decide if this qualifies for an album or an EP.
As an advocate for short albums, I am not complaining and just like in almost all cases, the short playing time is in fact adding to the effectivity of the music. This is also the sort of album that invites you to use the play-button more than once. And that is, of course, not only due to the music only lasting for just under 29 minutes. In fact it is mostly because of the great quality on offer here…
The Death Metal on ‘Ascension In The Altar Of Condemned’ is the sort of Death Metal that is firmly rooted on the large heritage of Morbid Angel. It has comparable hooks, nifty tempo changes and an overall dark and evil atmosphere. With this Deconsekrated position themselves within the ranks of the giants of todays Death Metal genre, Dead Congregation, Grave Miasma and Cruciamentum, who, on their turn never stop to paying homage to Morbid Angel and Immolation. The aforementioned dynamics in speed are being enlarged by the moments of atmospheric ambient passages, intros and interludes, just like their revered Tampa examples. Even the vocals of Gûl Evokator are not all that far removed from David Vincent on Morbid Angel’s marvellous ‘Altars Of Madness’ and ‘Blessed Are The Sick’ albums. Icing on the cake is the stunning clear but dense production that is definitely complementing all of the individual instruments and the vital black and gloomy atmosphere.
Fairness dictates that ‘Ascension In The Altar Of Condemned’ is not of the exact same level of the bands mentioned above, but keeping in mind that Deconsekrated has had only three tracks out before releasing this proper debut they definitely proved to be a force to keep an eye on.
