This year didn't deserve an album like
Towards Divine Death. No, this year was all about riff idolatry and overt heaviness. Offerings like
Promulgation of the Fall and
Morbid Dimensions attracted some much appreciated attention to death metal, garnering praise all without any sort of cross over appeal. But what said albums (as well as many others) lacked was the unique presentation and charisma that death metal is capable of. Lie in Ruins, on the other hand, have loving crafted an album that brings the heaviness and charm of Dead Congregation alongside the atmosphere and experimental brilliance of Emptiness. In essence,
Towards Divine Death is the perfect snap shot of death metal in 2014. It's a loving homage to the greats while also acting as a guiding light for where things should be headed.
Lie in Ruins have released an album that feels charred down to its core. Ravaged raw by fire, the band's latest is a bleak and dark creation where each member is playing with this in mind. The album is an exhausting affair, with tracks moving along like wars of attrition. Eight minute plus songs move along at a steady clip, with a thick and murky miasma obscuring the destination. Regardless, it feels like no time at all as the songs are incredibly distinct and varied. The constantly shifting tempos create an uneasy feeling, with the disorienting torrent of sound adding layers upon layers, bogging the listener down. Rather than become too entrenched in the technical aspects, the album revels in its mood and atmosphere. The entire record seems alive and pulsating with dread and doom. The vocals feel distant and impending, while the drums seem to beckon some phantasmagorical entity.
Yes it may seem contrived to say all of this nonsense, but Lie In Ruins have truly created something that effects the listener in a real way.
Towards Divine Death is a master work of modern death metal. It's a dark and bestial anomaly with a character unique to the genre. Containing the brutal technicality that the genre is known for, while also side stepping the mindlessness that can come along with it, the album stands as a testament to true creativity within metal.
