Fessus - Subcutaneous Tomb

Available Nov 26 via Darkness Shall Rise - Fessus approach Subcutaneous Tomb with a clarity that is very uncommon for a debut. The Vienna group build their sound on mid tempo death metal shaped by doom weighted pacing, but the execution is cleaner and more deliberate than their raw origins suggest, with their writing relying on pressure, repetition, and distortion used as structure.

“Pointless Anguish” sets the tone through restrained movement and coarse riffing. The track grows without rushing, letting Brenton’s voice drag the music deeper into its own atmosphere. The shift from slow tension to a faster close comes off as a compositional step, not an outburst.

“Asphyxiate in Exile” opens the field a bit more. The bass line carries the first section, and the dissonant solo breaks the surface without turning the song on its head. The arrangement is simple in appearance but tightened by small rhythmic decisions that keep the track from drifting away.

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“Cries from the Ether” moves with greater urgency. The drumming drives the band toward a more direct death metal framework, while the lead guitar carves short, abrasive lines that hold the piece in place. The increase in tempo doesn’t push the album off its axis.

“The Depths of Lividity” shows the band’s strongest control of tone. Layered riffs create pressure, and the brief melodic figure that cuts through the density is used completely as contrast. It becomes the record’s structural anchor.

“Yizkor” and “Living Funeral” extend the album’s logic with steady pacing and sharp vocal presence. Each song tightening the mood rather than broadening the palette.

The mix is dry, close, and intentional. Space is limited, air is scarce, and the confinement becomes part of the record’s identity. Subcutaneous Tomb lands as a firm statement from a band already shaping its own space within the metal realm.

8/10

Words by Fuego Casa

In collaboration with Headbangers Australia

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