Album Review: Celestial Sanctuary - Insatiable Thirst for Torment
From the depths of the UK death metal scene, Celestial Sanctuary emerges once again, this time with their sophomore effort, “Insatiable Thirst For Torment”. Following their 2021 release “Soul Diminished”, the band promises an even more intense and rancid experience for their fans. The band have truly stepped it up here delivering a full putrid package, from the production, to compositions, to the flag-worthy artwork.
Although it doesn't push the boundaries as much as I would like for my usual taste, what we have here is a record that knows what it's doing and does it well. Unlike Chort when he needs to tend to our goddamn hot pepper garden at the Citadel! Sigh. It'll be a while before we get our branded hot sauce out.
Truly love it when I'm hype before listening to a single note. The album title itself evokes a sense of relentless craving and agony, and the tracklist further amplifies this sentiment. With song titles like "Trapped Within The Rank Membrane", "Glutted With Chunder", and "Swivel Eyed And Gurning In The Shadows", it's evident that the band is delving into dark, grotesque, and visceral themes.
In fact, I've come up with my own list of names for the band to use for FREE on the next album! So don't say Heavy Metal Citadel doesn't do anything for the local metal scene.
Pus Pool of Nebulous Ambiguities (…Or is It?)
Wart's Nihilistic Glow
Splashes of the Slime River's Putrid Essence
Abyssal Chains Grotesqued by Maggot Tears
Sour Hunger in the Desert of Doubt
Calcification (Turgid Bone Juice)
Aaaaanyway, there's plenty of inspiration from ye olde death metal titans of yore, but additional tasty flavours come from the atmospheric signatures of Celestial Sanctuary. Tasteful synths add a delicately savage nuance, like a vampire's kiss, getting a taste of your ear before pikedriving your eardrum with another slabtacular riff. From regular chugga chuggas, to grotesque CHUGGOS, you've got everything here, the tempos are more varied than the cobwebs on our walls.
And let's not forget about the bass. I can hear it! Always a plus for me. The grunge-tacular bass passage in the Trapped Within The Rank Membrane alone at the 4:49 mark. *chef's kiss*. Also, hope you like reverb! Because Thomas Cronin's otherworldly growl may have well been recorded at your local church (PS: that's a good thing).
The band stated that this album "fully unleashes what we’re all about. It’s heavier, it’s faster and it has its own rancid flavour." This statement sets high expectations, suggesting that they has evolved beyond the typical old-school death metal sound, aiming to create a modern death metal masterpiece for true aficionados of extreme music. And indeed they did.
Take ‘Biomineralization (Cell Death)’, for example, offering a glimpse into a dystopian future where society discovers the potential of human blood as a source for creating the ultimate metal, leading to societal collapse and chaos. This narrative (which I made up) is both intriguing and horrifying, showcasing the band's ability to spark the imagination of listeners. And that breakdown at the end, my lord. This track exemplifies what you can expect from Celestial Sanctuary. Heavy crushing incredibly well performed DM.
‘Insatiable Thirst For Torment’ promises to be a relentless journey into the depths of propah Bri'ish modern death metal. With its impending release on August 25th via Church Road Records, fans of the extreme are in for a treat that will satiate their thirst for torment.
Check them out, TOTAL SUPPORT! Links below:
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