Azath - Through A Warren Shadow

Azath are an international band formed via members from the US and Canada. Following a trend of revisitation of the old school death metal world, Azath are able to execute this genre perfectly with a combination of influence and a touch of modern production making the album relevant in today's scene.

"Through A Warren Shadow" is eleven tracks in length, with a brief eerie introduction of static and build up leading towards the first initial song 'Draconian Impalement'. Perhaps honouring the band's dragon themed album artwork, the track also sets a majority of the mood for the remaining thirty-plus minutes. The music is unsettling, as thunderous yet contagious riffs are crusty almost encased in a black-metal esk, whilst the vocals are mostly grunted over them, executing their destined and bleak formation atop immense drumming. The production is clearly aimed at those who lived and loved the 90's era of death metal, yet there's also something magnificently modern about it all that's able to grasp the throats of any newer metal fans. This is something I rarely find with bands trying to create this sound and here it has been achieved superbly.

The self titled track carries a majestic, Nile influenced riff halfway through its course whilst the rest of the instruments take a back seat as the riff rolls out engulfing its listener in a haze of interest before violently erupting into the song's last minute of havoc. 'Pale Light' adapts the majestic sound with another small pause from the death metal ambush before going into favourable track 'Worm Of Autumn', perhaps one of the most crushing songs from the album.

Azath's "Through A Warren Shadow" is the type of record you will revisit from time to time, in remembrance of how well death metal can be done in modern times without breaking into any mainstream metal creativities. The band is a fresh take in pulverising death metal, whilst also creating a vast and beautiful soundscape of horror and fantasy, and to put it bluntly this music is a suitable soundtrack for the end of the world times.

4.5 / 5 STARS

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1. Into The Charnel
2. Draconian Impalement
3. Mortal Sword
4. Knight Of Chains
5. Through A Warren Of Shadow
6. Pale Light
7. Worm Of Autumn
8. The Whirlwind
9. Children Of The Dead Sea
10. Shifting Forms
11. Dying Echoes