Atramentus - Stygian (2020)

Unleashing three gargantuan slabs of soul crushing Funeral Doom Metal, today we have Canada’s Atramentus and their epic “Stygian”. Perfect for the coming months of winter, this release delivers killer atmospheric misery paired with demoralizing growls and some crafty experimentation. Highly recommended for fans of bands like Shape of Despair, Mournful Congregation, etc., this release will turn even the brightest day, completely bleak.

Opening with the 16-minute beast “Stygian I: From Tumultuous Heavens… (Descended Forth The Ceaseless Darkness)”, the band does not fuck arround and quickly establishes riff dominance with punishing slow guitars. The mixture of clean and harsh vocals creates a very eerie contrast that works magically with such a lush and depressive backdrop. The interlude is provided by the noise-ish/atmospheric piece “Stygian II - In Ageless Slumber (As I Dream In The Doleful Embrace of The Howling Black Winds)”.

Saving the best for last, the amorphous creature of “Stygian III - Perennial Voyage (Across The Perpetual Planes of Crying Frost & Steel-Eroding Blizzards)” delivers waves of creepy vocals and intense atmospherics. We particularly enjoy how slowly this track delivers its decadent message, with some very dramatic weeping guitar leads and minimalist drumming. We love dramatic pieces, and it can’t get any better than this 26-minute behemoth.

Overall, “Stygian” delivers a great value for your money. Each song takes more than a few spins to properly unpack and enjoy. The band’s influences perfectly combine to create a very cavernous and oppressive sound that is rare to find these days. If you want your world to be rocked by some of the most potent misery inducing tunes, be sure to get a copy of this epic release.

Label: 20 Buck Spin

Release: August 21st, 2020

Genre: Extreme Funeral Doom Metal

Country: Canada