Review Summary: An unrelenting 30 minutes of quality death metal
It doesn’t take a death metal aficionado to tell you
Realms of Eternal Decay is both consistent and filthy. There’s nothing terribly original about it, but that’s just fine. The execution is top-notch, holding the listener’s attention with each sinister riff and cavernous echo. Outer Heaven have crafted their personal, demented version of hell: one where uneasy walls of sound pummel their way through the putrid air – and through you – for a relentless 30 minutes. Unsurprisingly, the album is made more enjoyable by the gruesome, over-the-top imagery at hand. In this afterlife, you’ll be “embalmed in eternity”, as twisting forms and “grotesque creations” rise from the rotting soil.
Of course, these themes of disease and death are really brought to fruition by the fantastic musicianship. The vocalist fits right into the gloomy setting – his low, bellowing snarl a thing of agony – but it’s often the instrumentation that gives an extra jolt to your senses. Songs like “Vortex of Thought” and “Pulsating Swarm” are prime examples, with breakneck guitars and drums beating the listener over the head in a swirling fury. It may grow a bit repetitive at times, but there’s no denying the raw talent on display.
Realms of Eternal Decay is one hell of a debut full length from Pennsylvania’s Outer Heaven. It’s grimy, aggressive death metal done right, with just the slightest technical edge to keep things interesting.
