Transcending Obscurity Records is proud to present the debut album ‘Vazio‘ of the Portuguese atmospheric death/doom outfit Sepulcros, out on March 12th, 2021. With such a growing roster of excellent bands, the Asian label vows to make the current year full of promising releases. Sepulcros falls into the category of death/doom metal. Their debut has the gloomy and bleak nature of funeral doom metal sound, it covers of the slow and the dark tempo of its aesthetic. The lineup is consisting of SB (vocals), NZ (guitars), RT (guitars), AH (bass guitar) and JS (drums). On this debut outing, the Portuguese quintet follows the subterranean path of the Finnish forefathers of funeral doom metal Thergothon. ‘Vazio‘ is an immersive album that induces deep contemplation. The tracks move through a slow funeral parade shaped to sound like a sonic requiem of distress.

Much like other funeral doom bands, their music creates a mournful atmosphere that builds on slow monolithic riffs and lumbering drums with the songs trudging slowly forward. It emphasizes a somberness akin to bands like Atramentus and Evoken. Slowly but effectively, the songs unfold this melancholic quality. With the album title track ‘Vazio’ Sepulcros manages to unveil its dark and morose mood. The music is rather ill-fated through the nature of its songs that gradually shift with its crushing riffs like a lamenting psalm of despair. And therein lies the menacing feature that lures the listener to its inevitable doom. While the songs wander across the realm of solitude, they can abruptly transition to blast beats. Sepulcros encompasses many features regardless of their bleak air of sorrow. The twin guitars are inventive enough to create this dreary, funereal picture. Another highlight of the debut album is the beautiful painting by the Polish artist Mariusz Lewandowski who has a creative approach to his surreal art.

With layered, guitars-soaked dirges the following track ‘Marcha Funebre‘ brings sudden variations. The pace of the drums becomes more powerful while the cavernous growls exude doom full anthems of the macabre. In this heart-wrenching interpretation of funeral doom metal, the Portuguese quintet extracts the true essence that defines the sub-genre. Within the musical context of the debut album, there are many details that come to manifestation from this eerie noise emerging out of the bleak void of darkness, as if the whole musical progression is opted for a greater effect. With the swirling melancholy of the guitars and the deep howls of the vocals, ‘Vazio‘ is such an engrossing album. The songs are structured from a monolithic obelisk of primordial death/doom metal. This multifaceted feature is molded to take many twists, sounding furious at times without settling too long in a certain tempo. 

The heavy chugs and the crushing blast beats certainly have their moments, but the dominant cadence of the mournful dirge is carried forth unceasingly. ‘Magno Caos‘ is dark and captivating, the growls on this track sound immensely powerful. Sepulcros has made use of other elements of death metal and even black metal. The music simply takes many forms whereas these varieties give the music an overwhelming chillness.

‘Vazio‘ has many dark passages that are dominated by the plodding pace of the drums and the menacing growls which have this sense of doom. The dramatic effect of the ghastly spectacle is streamed from a dark atmosphere, drifting away from the light. ‘Hecatombe‘ paints dimensional hopelessness to the cascading theme and begins with soothing guitar chords before the deluges of the double bass and blast beat become measured by the swiftness of the tempo.

Sepulcros managed to present something entirely unique and different from what the other death/doom bands have delivered. The production is fair, despite the muddy sound of the album the songs are truly captivating from start to finish. ‘Vazio‘ is highly recommended for fans of Evoken, Atramentus, Esoteric and Mournful Congregation.  

Release Date: March 12th, 2021
Label: Transcending Obscurity Records
Track list:

1. Involucro Oco
2. Vazio
3. Marcha Funebre
4. Magno Caos
5. Hecatombe
6. Humana Vacuidade