Owing to a recent job I got as a content writer, I haven't found the time to write music reviews. Writing four long articles on a daily basis is saturating to say the least. However, I will now dedicate some time to write about Russia's Pseudogod and their latest output, which proves to be major contribution to Death/Black Metal.
Stylistically, Pseudogod's music is not too distanced from Bestial Black Metal. Their previous releases, namely Illusion of Salvation and Triumphus Serpenti Magni and a number of other split albums / EPs dhowed a tendency towards the aforementioned style through their chaotic riffing style and relentless, pulverizing drumming. In Deathwomb Catechesis, the band expand their stylistic boundaries beyond primitive assault, focusing more on a dense atmosphere and churning crushing, yet memorable riffs. The band chose to lean more towards Death Metal while creating an atmosphere similar to Orthodox Black Metal. It is nearly impossible to dissect the album musically, since it all blends into a singular mass of musical atrocity (in a positive way, obviously). Each instrument winds itself around another in a twisted way, and although that means individual instruments don't get their own moments of glory, it all fits properly in a well-defined song structure, which is what ultimately separates an actual good band from novelty.
That is not to say that Pseudogod's music is linear or uninteresting. There are some very fine details to be heard throughout the album which a listener won't notice on the first listen, despite the non-challenging nature of the band's songwriting. The riffing is mainly fast and chaotic, but at times, slows down to a medium or slow pace to pulverize listeners with sheer heaviness. The riffing style maintains an evil and occult vibe throughout the album, never settling for an odd upbeat melody. The drumming takes a back-seat in the mix, but every drum is clearly audible, from the crashes to the kick, and creates a rather noticeable impact on the music. The vocals are deep growls with the right amounts of reverb and delay effects added to them, which adds to the overall menacing vibe of the album.
The production job was rather surprising to most fans, considering the fact that Pseudogod's earlier works featured a much thinner, rawer production with drums being as much in the foreground as the guitars. This album features a rather bass-heavy mix, comparable to that of Vasaeleth and Witchrist . The sound works very well for the album since there is no compromise in anything the band intended to offer. Deathwomb Catechesis is highly recommended for its competent songwriting and consistency in delivering powerful Death/Black Metal throughout the 40 minutes of its playing time. The album is available for purchase through Hells Headbangers. Buy & Support!
