The musicianship and the song structure on the album are intense and contain plenty of dark complex riffs and atmosphere. The skilled craftsmanship and expertise of drummer Aberrant (Burial Invocation and, Diabolizer), guitarist Mustafa (Hyperdontia, Decaying Purity and Diabolizer) and guitarist Can (ex-Nex Carnis, Diabolizer and Burial Invocation) mixes the cavernous muddy sound of U.S. death metal, defining the chemistry of the band. With the intent to accentuate brutality, Engulfed displays its confidence at a scorching heat with walloping drums in the opening track ‘In the Abyss of Death’s Obscurity’ showing the brutal nuances of bands like Incantation.

The guitar department is creative at maintaining a high-speed pace and providing the listener  an organic intensity with the blast beats denoting a hellish and frenetic style of classic death metal. The blast beats increase significantly as drummer Aberrant infuses some old-school Morbid Angel characteristics: from the shredding guitars to the carefully measured tremelos and the unhinged drumming remains unscathed, wielding a powerful double bass.

The chaotic composition on ‘Voidwalker’s Dominion’ represents the brutal signature of Engulfed. There are some fast blast beats and double bass here alongside some over the top wicked riffing. Before the release of the sophomore I spent some time listening to the band’s first studio album and I am glad to say that Engulfed has raised the bar higher on certain levels.

The band takes a gigantic step in the songwriting aspect because of the inclusion of members from Burial Invocation and Hyperdontia. However, the album has a different facet from the 2020 EP ‘Vengeance of the Fallen’.

Some of the songs are lengthened to seven minutes, in addition the rhythm guitars and lead add subtle melodies and solo segments. They are perfectly layered between the slow paces and the guttural growls of Serkan are deep and monstrous as they add a dark infernal atmosphere to songs like ‘Echoes of Suffering’. The composition and the handling of instruments allow them to refine their sound. This is one of the facts that makes the album sound  so diabolic and heavy. ‘Unearthly Litanies of Despair’ is instantly memorable due to the fast transition of the drums. The quality of the riffing and the atmospheric insertion is very appealing.

The guitars exude a dark atmosphere and they are oppressive. There is also a technical quality that appears to be refined. The album sounds like a blasting furnace coming out of hell with the scathing riffs sounding brutal and grimy. ‘Infernal Desolation’ begins with a heavy bulldozing riff. The dual guitars are powerful. All the elements from the guitars, bass, and drums are on the front and are perfectly underscored causing havoc. ‘Blasphemous Despair’ is one of the tracks proving that Engulfed gained the expertise to make each song distinguishable from the other. The drums on the album are organic and add a warm scathing tone to the blistering riffs.

Despite the ample blast beats and double bass, some grooves are perfectly infused within the song structure. However, Engulfed showcases some utter brutality in the song ‘Cursed Eternity’.

The riffing at times enhances a vicious atmosphere. Therefore, the album emanates obscure-themed death metal, encompassing a supreme display of majesty and awe. The riffing is steeped in the sound of cavernous death metal. These embodiments and the riffing prowess offer a breath of foul air for the listener to breathe.

The song slowly descends into the slow atmospheric sludge tempo with the grinding drums shifting to blast beats on ‘Ancient Abyssal Conquest’, focusing on creating some slow infectious riffs. The lead guitars play an imperative role each riff strikes a chord between the oppressive drumming in the album’s closure ‘Occult Incantations’. Offers something dark and doomy with the crushing drums and guitars conjuring swirling riffs you can distinguish some nuances to death-doom. The lead guitars add memorability to the song, even in its seven-minute length Engulfed ensures to entice fans of death metal.

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