One of the rising acts in the last decade is UK’s blackened death metal outfit Grave Miasma, formerly known as Goat Mölestor. Their 2013 debut album “Odori Sepulcrorum” offered an unforgettable and memorable set of bleak and abysmal tracks that gave them enough recognition. After almost eight years of complete silence, the London trio has returned with their long-awaited sophomore album “Abyss of Wrathful Deities” out on May 14th via Sepulchral Voice Records and Dark Descent Records. Through mystical installations of the Shamanic Middle-Eastern elements, such as the sitar, they created an uncanny atmosphere. The band captures the dreadful sound of primordial cult death metal. Featuring the members of Cruciamentum, Scythian, and Malthusian who perfectly accomplished mesmeric creativity. Grave Miasma is comprised of Yoni Ben-Haim (vocals, sitar, and organ), Dani Ben-Haim (drums and percussion), and Tom McKenna (lead guitar and bass).

The whole sophistication takes the old tradition of malicious death metal with astonishing performance. It’s no surprise to say that the latest craft transcends beyond the first album. What makes the latest work so remarkable is how the songs bring up fast tempos. The band reflects a sense of esotericism and the songs are raised to peaks of supremacy and grandness. Since their 2016 EP “Endless Pilgrimage” they continued to hone their skills and found innovative ways to infuse shamanic patterns into the song compositions. Beyond the modest scale of the average bands, the London trio seems to achieve what other bands have failed to fulfill. 

Opening with scorching riffs on “Guardians of Death”, the eerie setting of the guitars yielding a raw and wicked approach to blackened death metal. The jagged riffs are woven by fascinating melodies that contrast with the cavernous echoes of the vocalist Y. The hammering percussion and double bass are unleashed across the firing solos on “Rogyapa”, the deep funeral vibes resonate as strongly as the surging riffs. The unearthly grim growls are uttered whereas the massive wall of heavy guitars of T builds up crushing tempos.

Being one of my favorite bands alongside Sulphur Aeon, Cruciamentum, and Disma, Grave Miasma’s songs move through frantic tempos. The frenzy growls of the vocalist sound like he’s been possessed by some ancient demon. The British trio has established itself as one of the top echelons of death metal. Influenced by the mystical Hinduism, there are moments when the vibrancy of the sitar arrangements adds a magical texture to the songs. In all forms of barbarity, “Ancestral Waters” is perfected by the maniacal mauling of the drummer D. The guitars are played in a dynamic way that usually unleashes fast hysterical solos. The drumming on “Erudite Decomposition” is reminiscent of Morbid Angel whilst the guitars churn out acute and abrasive riffs.

The rhythm is laced with menacing growls creating an atmosphere of ominousness. Across the whole length of fifty-three minutes, the songs venture through the ghastly charnels of abysmal darkness. “Under the Megalith” offers dark ominous rhythms, being the driving force, the drumming eruptions set straight poundings. The slow doom-laden riffs create a dense and atmospheric surrounding with rhythmic textures and the thundering riffs boom in deafening volumes. “Abyss of Wrathful Deities” displays visceral skills and unorthodox techniques that recall the Latin American style of death metal. The unnerving tempos and eerie nature give the album a cavernous resonance, and such presentation becomes intensively focused on “Demons of the Sand”.

Drenched in the sepulchral gloom the strange use of instrumentation evokes the style of doom metal. The inventive approach to dissonance and sluggish tempos seems to be emphasized in slow cadence. “Exhumation Rites” highlights the drum pattern work that takes abrupt shifts from blast beats to mid-tempo pacing. The ghastly suffocating atmosphere recalls the mysterious and arcane elements of “Odori Sepulcrorum”. On the musical scale, the composition allows the songs to morph into each other without losing the quality. “Kingdoms beyond Kailash” breaks through the otherworldly vale of obscure death metal. The final track is ornate with mystical touches of the sitar and soaring guitar solos. The song title refers to Mount Kailash known for its Buddhist Pilgrimage site, the track is carried by the spectacular use of instrumentation and coherent musicianship.

“Abyss of Wrathful Deities” see’s the band uncovering extreme forms of primitive black/death metal as they convey the ancient tradition with such diverse songwriting capability. Grave Miasma delivers an acerbic performance that is measured with many twists and an incredible conception of their aural art. 

Release Date: May 14th, 2021
Label: Sepulchral Voice Records (CD), and Dark Descent Records (Vinyl)
Track list:

1. Guardians of Death
2. Rogyapa
3. Ancestral Waters
4. Erudite Decomposition
5. Under the Megalith
6. Demons of the Sand
7. Interlude
8. Exhumation Rites
9. Kingdoms Beyond Kailash