DITHEIST – COSMIC LIAR

Right from the opening track we’re launched into a pummelling assault of early 1990’s inspired metal of the Floridan persuasion as if all the class elements of the Morrisound Studios output from that era were incanted from a cavernous abyss and found some embodiment within this recording. Essentially this is straight up death metal with elements of grindy blasts, catchy tempo changes, a thrashy forwardness, and sublime technical acumen that all combine into a sharply aggressive blasterpiece. 

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With clear production tones and a punchy mix, each of the musical personas are evenly balanced and sonically cohesive. From the precise riffage and clawed shredding, the guitars have an assertive chainsaw buzz with accents of sublime leads and twisted noodling that pairs in a tenacious duality with a compressed bass resulting in a crushing wall of sound. Fuelling the low-end fury, a relentless drum battery of double-kicks, triples and rolls that consolidates an ultra-tight rhythm section with the fret departments. Articulating the lyrical blasphemy, the vocalics are reminiscent of a Glen Benton-Dave Vincent-like hybridisation of coarse growls and guttural roars delivered with a savage cadence invoking a sense of unholy dread and evil disposition.

Painted with themes of satanic imagery, existentialist theosophy, eastern mythologies and subtle hues of dark comedy, the songs align with classic genre favourites whilst not overtly succumbing to anything clichéd that’s already been mused. For me, this album has been a grower with each listen revealing layers and textures previously unheard in the prior stereo endeavours. Standouts for me were the solid Evil to Live with its sinister fire and ferocity, the feral nastiness of Kill the Priest that feels like a hyperactive melee, while Nyarlathotep transitions from its Egyptian-themed intro and erupts into an addictive thrashy death banger. Mouth of Hell is a hefty high-paced crusher, and Singularity closes out the proceedings with more brutal riff work complimented with spacey undertones and a slight prog feel.

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As for notable comparisons, the influences of Atheist, Deicide, Misery, Morbid Angel, and Vader are rooted within the band’s template and tonal presentations. Cosmic Liar is a formidable reliquary from the metal underground imposed from an intense execution that awakened the band out of the dark slumber of time and will surely appeal to the hordes who await its hostile energy and doctrinal rancour.

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SCORE 9/10

Reviewed by glennosp