Empire of the Scourged – Transcend Into Oblivion (2013)

Hailing form the Netherlands, today we have a very strange collective named Empire of the Scourged. Mixing Death Metal with Industrial elements, this band delivers their debut EP “Transcend Into Oblivion”. Featuring five tracks of deranged music filled with punishing Death Metal riffs and crazy electronic elements, this release will push your senses to the max.

The EP opens with the punishing “Der Wanderer über dem Nebelsee” mixing powerful DM growls and riffs, all packaged into weird electronic atmospheric elements. There is also a very present melodic vibe to the riffs allowing them to be more accessible.  Things get heated up with the playful “Hollow Machinations of the Foul Spirited”, a track that reminded us of bands like Shade Empire in their heyday. Here you notice a bit of a disconnect between the atmospheric elements and the traditional instrumentation/vocals. While this sounds odd, it also gives that uniqueness to the band’s sound.

With a very Mysticum-esque vibe, “Trapped in This Massive Process” delivers the best track in this release. The opening here is quite epic and the transition between heavy riffs and atmospheric sickness is perfectly crafted. Moving into the Industrial/Electro realm of things, “Foul Machinations of a Hollow Spirit” feels like a bad mushroom trip.  Closing with “A Scarred Horizon” we get some ripping riffs that create a think Doom/Sludge like atmosphere paired with intense atmospheric elements, both of which make for a killer song.

As a whole, we loved how the EP starts from a more ‘traditional’ standpoint and gets more and more experimental as it comes to an end. Empire of the Scourged is one hell of a creative band that needs to explore and expand their sound even further. “Transcend into Oblivion” showcases the band’s creative strengths and promise, something that hundreds of other bands are completely lacking. If you are looking for something powerful, weird, and unique, look no further and pick up a copy of this release.

Label: Self-Released

Release: December 1st, 2013

Genre: Industrial Death Metal

Country: Netherlands