Artist: Diabolic Oath
Country: USA
Label: Sentient Ruin Laboratories
Formats: 12″ EP /Cassette EP / CD EP
Year: 2026
I must admit that, despite being very familiar with Diabolic Oath’s previous work, I found this new EP, released by Sentient Ruin Laboratories on 12-inch, cassette and CD, quite a challenge to get to grips with. I’m far from averse to the filthy depths of Black/Death Metal, but ‘Unholy Barbaric Hymns’ sounded a bit flat to me on first listen. In other words: this required several listens for a thorough analysis.
That said, Diabolic Oath have never been a band that’s easy to pin down. The vast majority of bands in this genre sound heavy and seem to be caught up in a sort of race where they’re either trying to sound as authentic as possible or, conversely, to be the most brutal. These Americans seem to have absolutely no interest in taking part in either of these contests. Although their debut album, ‘Profane Death Exodus’ from 2020, still sounded somewhat conventional, Diabolic Oath have gradually developed a more distinctive sound, while remaining true to the genre’s aesthetic. ‘Unholy Barbaric Hymns’ continues that tradition; in a sort of balancing act, it sounds both heavy and ponderous as well as vicious and sharp. Both pillars are amplified here: the unadulterated brutality of old-school Death Metal can be effortlessly distilled from this mix, but there’s also a more than obvious cold and sharp Black Metal edge to it. This is reflected in the vocals too: roaring on the one hand and screeching on the other.
Barbaric Oath don’t rely on interesting song structures or ground breaking work; it’s all rather basic, built on a foundation of heavy Death Metal riffs and drums to match. It isn’t particularly chaotic either, which gives them a somewhat unique position; it’s really the sound that earns Diabolic Oath their own place within the genre. Due to the lack of choice or emphasis on any one genre, and instead building more clearly on these two pillars, Diabolic Oath sounds a bit flat and indecisive at first listen. However, multiple playthroughs reveal that these lads do indeed have something to offer, as was also evident on their previous albums, but it isn’t exactly musical fast food.
