Scars of the Flesh - In Darkness Alone (2022)

Hailing from San Antonio, Texas, today we have Scars of the Flesh and their third full-length release “In Darkness Alone”. Unleashing five original tracks and four very well crafted cover songs, the band showcases their own brand of Death Metal with some Melodic/Progressive influences for over 50 minutes of engaging music. For fans of bands like Cenotaph, The Chasm, and similar outfits, this band packs a big punch and nicely combines it with a good dose of melody.

Opening with the punishing “Only I”, a dark and sinister mood is quickly set thanks to the incisive guitars and Kobey Lange’s growls. While there are plenty of classic Death Metal riffs used, tracks like “The Hooded One” and “In Darkness Alone” add extra layers of melody alongside technical craftiness and even some additional atmospheric elements. Our favorite track has to be the mournful “Memory Unknown”, a track that has some killer Doomy undertones and excellent guitar leads and headbanging moments.

After closing the first part of the release with the “Mors Aeterna” interlude, the band hits back with a coming Behemoth cover of “Chant For Ezkaton”, a Thrashy/Melodic cover of Dimension Zero’s “Silent Night Fever”, and a pretty spot on cover of Amon Amarth’s “Victorious March”. These covers show the band’s great versatility and technical abilities, while making some great songs their own. Closing the release we have a Death Metal-ish version of Metallica’s “The God That Failed”, which is actually pretty entertaining and solid.

As a whole, “In Darkness Alone” showcases a very talented and dynamic band in Scars of the Flesh. We particularly enjoyed all the different influences the band combines to create their own devastating sound. Perfectly delivering both traditional Death Metal riffs and hooks alongside more melodic and engaging tempos, the release feels quite fresh and engaging. If you like your Death Metal to have a nice wider range of options and elements, this is the release for you.

Label: Bonespill Recordings

Release: November 18th, 2022

Genre: Death Metal

Country: USA