While the solitary black metal entity has become a known genre trope – almost to laughably sad proportions – over decades, often losing part of what made it special in the first place in the sheer glut of what should never have been a “scene”, death metal has yet to trip over that stumbling block. Hence, when a death metal project arises where one person is responsible, win or lose, I’ll at least approach with an open mind.
After three EPs, New Jersey’s ENGULF (in the form of Hal Microutscicos) marks its first full-length with The Dying Planet Weeps. ‘Withered Suns Collapse’ begins, crestfallen from the start, Microutscicos’ guitar tone appealing, soon enough caught up into a vortex of storm riff and rhythm that’s not overburdened with technical prowess, and results in a more memorable experience when it comes to this sort of death metal. Oh, the man’s no slouch, don’t get me wrong, but knows when to dial back the speed to create impact and dynamics. I’m a bit worn out on pinch harmonics these days, and there are plenty in the first half of the song, but they stop just short of annoying.
After ‘Bellows From The Aether’, we enter ‘The Nefarious Hive’, featuring the indomitable Sven de Caluwé ABORTED on vocals, an almost-sure mark of quality. That this track also includes a complete earworm of a riff certainly doesn’t hurt, my only complaint being that, at just over 3 ½ minutes, it seems ‘The Nefarious…’ is just starting to solidify into great death when it’s over. Not so, ‘Ominous Grandeur’, which begins languid ‘n’ liquid, a smooth instrumental (almost jazz-styled) build into a tune worthy of its name. Placed ideally in the running order, at a point when a good many albums lag, this pick of The Dying Planet Weeps reeks beautifully of Obscura-era GORGUTS and CRYPTOPSY’s slower material.
‘Plagued Oblivion’ warps quickly into SUFFOCATION convulsions, although, again, the blinding technicality is tempered with future listens in mind, so the song is served first, and will result in repeated visits from those who embrace this style. This does seem to be the track where Microutscicos is having the most “fun”, tones drenched in effects and solos flying everywhere.
Ending with the title track, a short but varied instrumental, The Dying Planet Weeps is the most fully formed ENGULF material to this point. Nothing shockingly original to be found here, but a solid foundation on which to build.
Review By: Lord Randall
ENGULF
The Dying Planet Weeps
Everlasting Spew Records