Artist: Impetuous Ritual
Country: Australia
Label: Profound Lore Records
Formats: LP / CD
Year: 2023
It was 2009’s ‘Relentless Execution Of Ceremonial Excrescence’, initially released by Profound Lore Records on CD and later in 2011 on vinyl by Blood Harvest, that put Australia’s Impetuous Ritual on the Death Metal map. At first it was hailed as being an almost Black Metal influenced Death Metal equivalent of the dark abyss itself. But over the years the band grew to be one of the leading acts when it this particular Death Metal niche, even to such an extent that they can be seen as one of the bands that kick started the so-called “caverncore”-movement. But those who dare to take a deep dive into the band’s overwhelming darkness will experience something that harbours a much more dizzying depth than all those bands together.
And this fourth crusade of is by no means a record that will break that tradition. On the contrary, in their now four-album discography, the band seems to be exploring the bottomless depths even further, realising the seemingly impossible. On ‘Iniquitous Barbarik Synthesis’, even more pieces fall into place, creating a swirling chaos that veers between Death Metal, Black Metal and even ominous Funeral Doom. When the band maintain a brisk tempo, the riffs form that recognisable impenetrable sonic wall that seems to smother everything else in the world, however, when the band drastically reduces the tempo it transforms into an all-shattering drone with the drums being the ultimate pulverisers.
Yet this latest album is yet another special experience. There are few bands who manage to compose such challenging music in which the listener is pushed to the limit on almost every musical level. It is therefore definitely a warm recommendation for those with a brave and fearless heart, preferably with experience of one or more of the band’s previous albums.
